\A4 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DQD17TT1577 





niSTGRY 
HOBOREN 




N.vJ. 





BY 





iy^C£^ 



<fJiMA. 




WITM 1U.U5TRAT10NS BY. 




G^ PUDLISMERS'S'^ 



COPYRIGHT. 1S03, BY 
LCHNE *L ORESCHER 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 






Two Copies 


Received 


f\Vv 


JAN 2 

Copyrigh 


1904 

Entry 


Yf^^' 


T^n 


OXA: 17.- 
CLASS »- 


1^ oi 

XXc. No. 






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INDEX. 



CHAPTER 1. 
First Owners of West Hoboken. 

CHAPTER H. 
West Hoboken In Its Early History. 

CHAPTER HI. 
Streets and Improvements. 

CHAPTER IV. 
Early Municipal Affairs. 

CHAPTER V. 
Public Schools. 

CHAPTER VL 
Transit Facilities, Past and Present. 

CliAPTER VII. 
Oil, Gas and Electric Lights. 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Municipal Water. 

CHAPTER IX. 
Public Library. 

CHAPTER X. 
Consolidation with Jersey City in i868. 

CHAPTER XL 
Latter Municipal Affairs. 

CHAPTER XII. 
The l^^ire Department. 

CHAPTER XI 11. 

Our Churches. 



?7 




VIEWS IN TOWN PARK. 



PREFACE. 



MY DEAR READER:— 

At one time there existed in this town an organization 
which styled itself the "Firemen's M'onument Association of 
West Hoboken." This association was composed of delegates 
from each one of our Town Fire Companies, and I was one who 
represented Protection H. and L. Co. No. 3. 

The object of the aforesaid association was to raise funds 
with which to erect a monument in our Town Park to the 
memory of our deceased Firemen. Various ways and means 
were tried to collect enough funds for this object, but somehow 
or other our efforts were not always crowned with the success 
necessary to infuse enough life in the members to "push along"' 
the scheme, and interest in the object began to lag. 

One evening at a meeting, a motion was made to hold a 
F'air, and in connection therewith to issue a souvenir history of 
the Fire Department and the town in general; and also to pub- 
lish various interesting views of our town in this souvenir. 

I immediately volunteered to write up a sketch of the town's 
career, and the next day I began in earnest on the work. At 
first I meant only to write a short sketch, but gradually I kept 
on adding more and more, until I had quite a history, which 
I was certain would be the means of piling up large amounts 
of cash for the monument. When, as usual, the meetings of 
the M'onument Association became smaller and smaller, until 
we could not muster together a quorum, it was seen that noth- 
ing could save the organization, and to settle it once for all 
we disbanded. 

This left me with the history on my hands. I had spent 
so much time on it that it seemed like a pity to let it lie 
unprinted m my desk, and I resolved that I would publish it 
myself, and accordingly I made arrangements with my friend 
Lehne to furnish the illustrations. It is in this manner that 
I have come before you in the role of a writer, and aside from 
the interest I take in our old town, I submit the following 
pages to you. First, because West Hoboken was at one time 
part of one of the oldest settlements in America. Second, 
ijecause no record of facts concerning the early settlement of 
this town has ever been printed, and I am of the opinion that 
such record and facts will make interesting reading for our old 



residents, as well as for the numerous new-comers w'lo have 
settled in our midst durinj^ the past fifteen years. 

1 have spare>l nrillur linu' Udr (.ffmn in making' the story 
interesting' and truthful, and as {o dates and facts, 1 can assure 
my readers of their absolute correctness. 

1 believe 1 can truthfully say that no book of this particular 
kind has ever been published which contains so many illustra- 
tions as this one docs; and I feel it my duty to bestow much 
praise on the person who attended io this matter — Mr. Charles 
F. Lehne. 

In the tirst chapter you will ])erceive 1 deal mostly with 
facts concerning the county; this 1 had to do to establish the 
chain of events from the very beginning of the discovery of 
the counly of which our town was then a ])art. 

As regards the history of our churches, 1 may say that some 
will api)ear much longer than others; this can be explained 
by stating that some church organizations are more than half 
a century old. and consequently their history must be longer 
than others which are but a few years old; and this same rule 
will a})])ly to our Vive Companies. 

I do not wish to be accused of plagiarism con-eciuently 1 will 
say that my authv:>rities, for a large part of the first chapter of 
this hi-torv, was Charles Wiinfield's "Historv of Hudson 
County." and also his "Land Titles of Hudson County." and in 
regards the churcheis. I had frequent reference to Taylor's 
'"History of the Clasis of Bergen." The ministers and priests 
of our churches very kindly furnished me with all the informa- 
tion that I requested of them, and I take this method of offering 
them my sincere thanks, and of also offering mv thanks to the 
numerous kind citizens of our town who generously gave me 
any information which I requested of them. 

Trusting that the reader may find the followitig pages inter- 
esting, and that they may bring back fond remembrances to 
such old-time citizens who may happen to read them, I am 

Yours truly. 




y\J Ji£^ c^t^uzA^ 



c^yceA 



January ist, 1903. 





CEO. B. BERCKAMP. 

MAYOR. 

JANUARY 1 ST, 1003 



TOWN COUNCIL, JANUARY 1st, 1903. 






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JOHN E. STANTON. 


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^^L«>.!^i.'-.i'^HHHI 



CHARLES E. LAUNE. 






JOHN MCCARTHY 




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RICHARD J LYNCH- 




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LOUIS DIEHM. Jn. 



EDWIN T. BOEHLER. 





JOHN P- McMAHON, 
TOWN CLERK 



FREDERICK A. SCHWARTZ, 

TREASURER 





AUG. A RICH, 

ATTORNEY 



JOHN S. CONLIN, 
COLLECTOR. 





EDW. A McOERMOTT. 
ASSESSOR- 



On WILLIAM A DRAESCL, 
TOWN PHYSICIAN. 



\6og - 1903 




t^^y^/&^ 



L. 



CHAPTER I. 

First Owners of West Hoboken. 

The Town o; West Hoboken is 41 years okl, havin<T: been 
incorporated as a Township on February 28, 1861. Previous 
to its being incorporated, it was a part of the Township of 
North Bergen, which latter Township was at one time a part of 
the ancient County and Township of Bergen. 

The fir-^t inhabitants of our town were unck)ubtedly descend- 
ants of the early Dutch settlers of the aforesaid County of 
Bergen; it is not known exactly at what time the first house 
was erected within the present limits of West Hoboken. but it 
is very likely that it was in the last quarter of the i8th century; 
and when the town began to take on the aspect of a village, 
quite a number of French people settled here, and to-day some 
of our oldest inhabitants are numbered among our French 
population. 

Every schoolboy who has conunenced his course in history 
has read of the discovery of our county by Henry Hudson, the 
commander of the good ship "Half Moon," who sailed into 
the lower bay and so on up into the beautiful Hudson one 
bright September day in the year 1609. 

The first reference in the annals of New Xetherland to the 
place now called "Hoboken," is found in the journal of Robert 
Juet, the mate of Hudson's ship, the "Half Moon." under date 
of October 2, 1609. 

Tslore than twenty years passed before another reference is 
made to the place; then the Director and Council of New Neth- 
erlands, in behalf of Michael Pauw% Lord of Achtienhoven. 
purchased from the native owners (the Indians) the land spoken 
of bv Tuet. 





EDGAR A. LOVERIDGE. 
ASSEMBLYMAN 



AL. KIELBERG, 

HEALTH INSPECTOR- 




ANTON DITE, 



THEO BERNHARDT. 



FREEHOLDERS. 



Tlic (Iced convc'vinj; iliis i)r()]>cny bears dak' July 12, i^^^o. 
aivl c»)nvcvs all of what is imu ihnlson ((juiity, cxcr')! ihai 
])art which lies west ui the Jiackeii.ack KWvr. 

In a shi^rt time rauw i^in into disfavor with tlu- New \elh- 
erhmd oo\ernnienl for reasons now unknown; and they, in i(\^4' 
took his land away from him. 

The first wliite inhabitant o\ tlie ni)rthern end ol ilie county 
was 1 \vu h-ick, son of Cornelius \'an \'orst. wdio lived in a small 
hut in Hoboken. in the year 1636; he stayed for three years, and 
in the summer of 1639 returned to Holland and died. 

On February 15, 1640, Aret. T. \an Putten secured the 
])lace, he. without delay, began to imjjnn'e his home, he cleare 1 
the land, fenced in fields, and maintained a general farm. He 
erected a brew house and thus became the first brewer in the 
State and Hoboken, the place wdiere beer was first brewed. 

On the breaking out of the Indian War in 1643. \an Put- 
ten was awav from home on a trading expedition and was killed 
near Sandv Hook. His farm and buildings were destroyed and 
burnt, and such was the fury of the Indians that the place was 
abandoned by every white settler. 

The Indians must, at this time, have gotten complete con- 
trol of this entire part of the county, for we find another deed, 
conveving this i)roi)crty to the whites, wdiich is, in part, as 
follows : — 

"On the 30th day of January. 1658, the Indians sold to the 
Koble Lord Director General Pietcr Stuyvesant and Council 
of New Netherlands a tract of land lying on tlic west side of the 
North River. 

"Beginning from the Great Clip (Dutch for stone, referring 
to the Palisades) above Wiehachen (note the spelling), and from 
there right through the land above the Island Sikakes (m.ean- 
ing Seacaucus) and therefrom thence to the Kill von Coll. and 
so along the Constables Hoeck again to the aforesaid clij) above 
Wiehachen." 

Perhaps the price paid for this vast piece of land now- 
worth many millions of dollars, would interest you. This tract 
was purchased for 80 fathoms of Wampum. 20 fathoms of cloth. 
12 brass kettles, 6 guns, i double brass kettle, and half barrel of 
strong beer, valued in all at $675.00. 

Before this tract of land was settled there was a settlement 
made at Bergen, wdiich is the oldest town in this State; it was 
settled in 1616 by Dutch colonists, and the first house was lo- 
cated about wdiere Bergen Scpiare is now. 




fREDtRlCK ntN5EL 



( )rii,Mnally all ol Ilul.M>n (.'(•unty. and tho southern end oi 
P.ertivn County, was included in this Townshii) of l*>erj^en. and 
althou"h there were in latter vears settlements in different parts 
of the ecuniy, tliey were all governed hy l'er.<;en township. 

( )n Octobr 14. 1656. Nicholas X'erleth married Anna, the 
sister of Governor Stuyvesant, (mentioned in aforesaid deed) 
who was also the widow of Samuel IJayard. and on February 5, 
1663. he received from ( iovernor Stuyvesant a i^rant of 138 
UHiri^ens of land, which i> now Jlohoken and Xorth Hudson. 
\arletli died while in possession of this land in 1675, and from 
his heirs. Samuel Uayard. his step-son derived title. William 
r.avard. one of the latter's descendents, was the owner, and in 
possession when the Revolutionary War broke out. 

After the C'ilv of Xew ^'ork had fallen into tlie hands of 
the enemv. and the i)atriot army had been driven back toward 
the Delaware. Mr. liayard. who at first had been active in the 
cause of the colonies, withdrew his assistance, and on May i, 
1777, joined the army of the King-; for this act his property 
was confiscated to the State, and advertised by the Commission- 
ers of forfeited estates to be sold. On August 25. 1784. the 
tract of land which comprises West Hoboken, was sold by Com- 
missioner Wm. Herring, and among the buyers at this sale 
were John Stevens, wdio bought almost all the property north 
of Stevens street, this property afterwards became the property 
of the Hol)oken Land Improvement Com])any. On May 6. of 
the same year. Wm. Jackson became the owner of a large tract 
of land adioining Stevens parcel. On March 21, 1785, Corne- 
lius Van \'orst bought another large piece of this land which 
comprised the middle western part of the town. 

A short time after these sales the owners sold parcels to 
other TJeople. among whom were the De Motts. Traphagens. 
\'an Rei'iens c^- \'an Wiid<le"s. 

A large tract of land in the southeastern part of our town 
was in 1770. owned by a man named Merselis. From his heirs 
it passed into the hands of our late citizen, John Syms. 

As T stated previously, all of this territory was part of the 
Tcnvnshi]) of Bergen, but this old town was soon to become a 
thing of the past, because one by one. boroughs began to 
seceed from her. until on February 22, 1840. the wIk^Ic 
southern part of Bergen County was formed into the County of 
Hudson, and instead of Bergen Township being the only munici- 
rality. the new county was divided into five townshi])s. viz.: — 
Bergen (which comprisetl all of Xorth Fludson and what is now 
Bergen in Jersey City), Harrison, Jersey City, and Van X'orst. 



Al lliis lime the pupulalion of []\v couiily was <).4,^''>■ ami iIktc 
were only 6o houses from Jiackeiisack south lo the Jersey City 
line. 

( )n l'"el)ruar\ lo. iS4_:^, old I'.eri^en 'ro\vn>lii|) was as^aiu 
divided in halt, when all that part lyinj;- north .)l what is now 
the I'ennsylvania Ivailroad cut and Snake Hill, was set oi'f 
ironi it and named the Townshij) of North ik-rgen. Tliis lat- 
ter township, the same as old LJerj^en, has from time to time 
been desi)oiled of its territory for cities and towns, until t(j-day 
it consists ehietU of swamps and cemeteries. The breakinj^^ up 
o\ the Township of North Uer^en be.£^an when lloboken seceded 
l)v becoming the Townshij) of Hoboken on March i. 1849, a"*^^ 
beinj;- incorporated as a city in 1855; then came Hudson City, 
which was set off from North Bergen on March 4, 1852, and 
then \Veehawd<en parted company from Hoboken March 15, 
1S59. The Town of Chittenberg- also become incorporated in 
1851). then came the Township of West Hoboken and the Town- 
ship of Union (now West New York), which adopted a g-overn- 
ment of their own on February 28. 1861; then the Town of 
Union (Union Hill) divorced itself from the Township of I'nion 
(West New York) on March 24, 1864. 

It is perhaps proper to say a few w'ords here in regads the 
name "Hoboken," although our town is only 43 years old. The 
name West Hoboken is perhaps 100 years old, because all the 
land between South street, Jersey City, and the Hackensack 
Plankroad was known by that name in the latter part of the 
eighteenth century. It has been said by many writers that 
■•Hoboken" is a Dutch name, but Chas. Winfield, in his "Mono- 
graph of Hoboken," has the following to say on this much dis- 
cussed subject: — 

"In the first deed from the Indians conveying this property 
to the Council of New Netherland the name was spelled Hopog- 
han. Hackingh meaning "Hopokhan" smoking pipe, and "Hac- 
kingh" the land, which would infer that the Indian name of 
Hoboken. was the land of the smoking pipe. This is all the 
more true because at Castle Point there was a certain kind of 
stone from wdiich the Indians made pipes. The name was also 
used bv the Indians in a symbolic sense to express crooked- 
ness, and may have been used in reference to the shore of the 
river, which, at that time, was very irregular at Hoboken. 

Considering these facts it is nonsense to believe that Hobo- 
ken is a Dutch word, even if there is a town in Holland by that 
name, it is not to be expected that the Indians knew of that 
citv and copied its name for their land, because it was called 
bv that name bv them before the advent of the white man in 



this ctnmtrv. The name i> Indian and nothin*; l'1>c. "Hopo- 
ghan Hackin^i^h." the lantl of the smoking; pi]K', or symbolically, 
"the land of crookedness." 




^^^ii^' 




TOWN HALL. CLINTON AVENUE AND CHARLES STREET. 




•Jii'iMTiT 1-^ - - "■ * 



POST OFFICE 



PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



niAT'TKR 11. 

West liobukcn In lt> luiiiy lli-lnrv. 

Our town was. as may he su])])osc(l. in its intancy, corA- 
posed mostly ot farms, and what part u\ it was nut farms was 
thick woods, mostly of cedar trees. Some of the owners of 
these old farms, and their descendants, still live here to-day, 
among whom may be mentioned the Kerrijjan's. De iMott's, 
\'an X'orst's, Syms's. LudU)ws> Maskers, Rosemons, TraphagL'ns. 
Dubois, r.onns. and m\- own ancestors, the Dreschers. All cf 
the above owned large tracts of land in the early 6o's, and somo 
of these jilaces were only recently cut up into building lots. 

At the time the town was incorjxorated it was a small vil 
lage of 1,500 inhabitants, the only part which, in any way. re- 
sembled a village, was in the lower end in the vicinity of Paterson 
avenue. In the northern end of the town in the vicinity of the 
car depot, there were also a few houses grouj^ed together, but 
the center of population was in the neighborhood of Paterson 
and Clinton avenues, people living in other parts of the town- 
ship wishing to acqtiaint others of the fact that they were going 
in that direction, would inform tliem that they were going to 
"the village." 

One of the first liouses built in the vicinit\- of the car 
stables still stands there to-day. and is occupied by liaker Lan- 
wgel. This house was erected by a man named Morris, who. on 
account of being minus the sight of one eye. w^as nick-named 
*'one eved Morris." One day as he was doing some W'Ork in 
his garden, he suddenly turned his head around, and in doing 
so thrust a branch of a tree in his good eve and tliei-eby l)ecame 
blind. 

Another old land mark in this part of the town is the house 
Avhich stands on the south side of Angelique street, and is the 
'first building east of ."^tnumit avenue. It was built by m> 
grandfather in 1843, ^"f^ previously stood where Leuly's house 
now- stands, having been moved to its present site, when the 
l.euly's purchased the Florist business from Mr Drescher. 
Although this old building is sixty years old. it is still in good 
condition and serves as a comparison as to the methods em- 
ploved in those days in house building and those in vogue to- 
day. 




HOSE CARRIAGE. NEPTUNE ENGINE CO. V 




STEAMER. NEPTUNE ENGINE CO. 1. 



Still another old l)uililiiiy; i.s the one which is used as a 
stable and store lionse by ( irocer Thomas lioi)kins. This old 
building- once .^lood on the corner of Paterson avenue and Chn- 
ton avenue, and was used as a school, church and tavern at dif- 
ferent times. It was moved to its present site when Mr. Hop- 
kins erected the present building. 

Another old establishment is Cox's feed store on llacken- 
sack Plankroad, near the Boulevard. The present l)uilding is 
7,2 years old, but previous to the erection of this building", Cox 
kept a store on the corner, which was a starting place for all 
the travelers hereabouts, when a native of this town, living 
within a half-mile of Cox's corner, w^ould give the direction of 
reaching his home to strangers, would invariably say: — "I 
live fifteen minuies north or south, east or west of Cox's cor- 
ner." There were only two roads leading from this corner, one, 
the old Weavertown road (now Pioulevard). running north and 
south, and the other the Hackensack Plankroad, running east 
and west, consequently the direction as above given, would suf- 
fice. The store spoken of above was kept by Mr. Geo. Cox 
(the present owner's father), who purchased the building from 
Mr. A. Ross, and started his grocery store in the year 1837, 
66 years ago, and I do not think there is another place in North 
Hudson where the same busmess has been carried on by one 
family for so many years. 

I have an old business card of my grandfather's, printed 
about 1855, ^n^l besides giving his name and that he conducted 
a florist business, it states his place is fifteen minutes south of 
Cox's corner. 

As to places of amusement they w^ere few and far between. 
There is one old house which still stands on the northw^est cor- 
ner of Hackensack Plankroad and Palisade avenue (Union Hill 
side), which, if it could but speak, would tell some jolly tales of 
the many happy hours spent beneath its hospitable roof by the 
beaux and belles of those days. 

This place was kept by a man named Puck, and was known 
as "Buck's corner.'' 

It was here that most of the balls and ])arties were held, 
and many a cock fight, one of the prevailing sports of those 
days, was held in this place, and it was also a stopping place or 
station for the stages that ran to Hoboken at that time. There 
are some old citizens still living here to-day in whose ears still 
ring the blast of the stage bugle as it came winding its way up 
the old high road. 




COLUMBIA H' & L CO 1 




HOSE CARRIAGE. EMPIRE ErCINE CO 1. 



If you at any liim- pass this old place look at it as it is to- 
ilay, and picture to your->rll' thr change old I'atlKT TiiiK- has 
niade- ill !t, and its surroundings. 

riu' land in the vicinity of the car stahlcs was wcl and 
■-wanipy. Tlurr wrrc no streets here previous to iHCyo, and a 
lioard walk was built which ran from a ])oint about where the 
])re.>ent Ann street intersects S])rinL; street tij lluck's corner, 
and served as a short cut for people wishiui;' to visit the old tav- 
ern. 

ill the middle of the lownshij) there was a bcautiftil piece of 
woodland, known by the name of Syms woods. 'ihis tract 
was bounded on the east by the present line of Spring street, on 
the south about too feet south of Syms street, on the west about 
!00 feet east of Central avenue, and on the north l)y John street. 
A fine s])ring was situated in this wood, which sup])lied most of 
the inhai)itants of the nei<;"hbt)rhood with the finest of driiikini.C 
nater. 

In this old wood most all the picnics of those davs were 
held. I'lven the people of Hoboken would journey up the hill 
side to tliis wood to hold their picnics. We find in the minutes 
i^if the town council of June, 1871, a motion to "allow the 
trustees privilege to maintain a bar for the sale of malt liquors 
said bar to be in the woods." This was Svms woods and the 
l)icnic was in aid of the Widows' and Orphans" fund of the fire 
dei)artment. The gate leading to this wood was situated ex- 
actly on the present site of Dusaneks saloon on Spring street. 





H3Se CARRIASE, EAGLE ENCINe CO. 3. 




AMKRICUS H- «L L. CO 2. 



a ] AFTER 111. 
streets anl Jn]])i'ovonients. 

In the (lays abo\-e Jiu-ntione-l tliere were no streets runnini; 
north and south tlirough tlie town, exce])t tlie Weavertown road 
(now Boulevard), uiaiii iSyo, when PaHsade avenue was opened, 
ihen tJiere was .^o Jittle traffic tlaat tJ:is street became a sort of 
lane, and in wet weaiJier it was axel deej) in nnnl. and cou'd not 
he used at all. 

Iniagfine to yourself the looks of this place when 1 say thai 
even as late as 18S2 there were no side streets from Stevens 
street north to Ang^clicjue street, and no avenues e.\ce])t the two 
aforesaid. 

This wliole section was composed of a few homesteads, 
which were all west of the present line of Si)rinjT street. East of 
Spring street, this section boasted of two little huts that remind- 
ed you of some ranclier's huts, surrounded as they were with 
vast plains, on which silently o-razed the cattle of all the dairy- 
men of this section. 

All this land was owned by the Hoboken Land and Im- 
provement Company and was known as the "conmions.'" It 
was on these "commons" that the L'. S. Government in 1861 
auaintained a camp for their soldiers. 

When the car stables were erected the Railroad Company 
leased part of the commons from the owners, fenced it in. and 
used it for pasturage for their horses. The lake in our town 
]>ark recently filled up, was in the corner of this pasture and 
served as a drinking place for the horses. Part of this tract 
(east of Clinton avenue) was still used for this purjiosc twelve 
years ago. 

.Spring street was opened in 1882. and the land from ( )ak 
street to Angelicjue street, was so low and swampy that the new 
street ^vas raised 10 feet above the surrounding land, until it 
intersected Angelique street, when it again reached the level. 
None of the side streets in this district were opened previous to 
1888, and then only a few. irost of them leaving been laid out 
during the last ten years. All these streets had to be filled in 
and raised from 5 to 10 feet, and this filling was mostly all 
taken from the "conmions," which, east of Clinton avenue, were 
verv hierh and hillv. 




HOSE CARRIAGE. FRIENDSHIP HOSE CO t. 




PROTECTION HAL CO 3. 



CliiKon avenue \v.i> of)ene.l aljoiu five years alter S])ring 
street, aiul previousb, to its l)ein^' ^radeil, it ct)]isi>teil of a liigii 
emhanknienl placed tliere \)\- the Kailroad L"uiii])any for its cars. 
It \va> (;nlv wide eiioiii^h to accoinmodate one line of tracks, 
and eonld not be used lor any tjtlier ])nrpo-vc. 

l'"roin West street, west t(j Sunnin't avenue, and from ( )ak 
street, north to jane street, there was a large ])icce of woodland 
which was only cleared off and opened up in the spring of i8'.)0. 
It was known by the name of "Drechcr's Woods," and afforded 
llie ninirods of these times n^any a happy hotir as the place 
abounded with birds and rabbit^. I have shot rabbits in these 
woods in 1890. a few months before it was cleared off. 

The peo])le who li\e in this district now. who have moved 
lu-re from other places, know ver\ little of the looks of this 
place a few years ago, and as I walk through it to-day, I cannot 
make myself believe that it is the same okl town, where in so 
short a time I picked wild flowers and hunted rabbits and 
birds in its beautiful tields and woods. 

The credit for making this place what it is to-day, must be 
given to a man who (since deceased) has been slandered by 
many of the people who were his best frinds while he was in the 
hey-dey of his career as a business man and builder. 

This man was Otto Schultz. When the Hoboken Land 
Improvement Company and the Drescher estate in 1890 began 
breaking up their properties in building lots, Schultz began 
building houses on the properties. He had the backing of the 
Imiirovement Company, and, through them, most of the Hobo- 
ken r.anks. With one exception the first houses on Spring 
street l)etween Angeliciue street and Highpoint avenue was 
built by him. This was the row between Dodd and Shippen 
streets. To give an idea of wdiat Schultz did, let me say that he 
built by actual count, not including Schwartzenbach's silk fac- 
tory, and the Casino, one hundred and sixty-seven houses in the 
l^hird \\'ard of our town, and a great many of these are well 
built substantial three-story brick hotises, as the stores on both 
sides of Spring street prove, most of which were built by him. 

Considering this work is the reason why I give him space in 
these pages. Efforts like his should be encouraged and not al- 
lowed to pass bv unnoticed. It was mainb- through his efforts 
that we have so many street imi)rovements in our town to-day, 
and if w^e had another Schultz it would be a blessing to us. 
After all this work Schultz died a poor man. He was robbed 
right and left by people whom he trusted, and in the end he 
uas feamd dead one morning at the foot of Shippen street v»ith 
a L'ullet in his brain. It was the old story of wealth and happi- 



iii>s lost tlirciugli business reverse-, and the resort of a despond- 
in-^ man to the onlv reUef from his misfortune and ill-hick: the 
revolver. 

Let me say in behalf of Schultz that he was no coward, that 
\\>- did not .y;ive uj) inuuediately. but on the contrary, strove 
hard to regain his lost fortune, but. as always happens in such 
cases, .Schultz was down and his erstwhile friends were doiui,' 
their best to keep him there. After his death, some ])eoi)lo 
realizini;- what they had lost, spoke of erectint,^ a monument to 
his mcmor\-, but this only ended in talk, and now the name 
"Schultz'" is but a memory. 

When Schultz bcj^an building in i8<Sy-ip, lots on Si)rin^- 
street sold for seven and ei.qht hundred dollars, and in side 
streets as low as three hundred dollars. 

Another man who has done nuicli. and is still doin^ so. for 
our town, is our present worthy mayor. Mr. ( leo. 1). IJer^kamp. 
Manv a fine residence in the Second Ward of our town owes 
its existence to his energ-y as a builder and business man. Vyt 
to date he has erected luore than sixt\- houses in the Second 
Ward. 

Ihe part of the town near the present car stables was since 
1857 known by the name of I'onnsville. It took its name from 
John H. llonn. who ])urchased the tract and cut it u]) in build- 
ing lots. When t!ie car stables were erected manv of the eiu- 
plo\ers purchased these lots and erected small homes on them 
so as to be near their work. 



-^23 





PUBLIC SCHOOL No 1. CLINTON avenue and union street. 




PUB'.IC SCHOOL No 2. CENTRAL AVENUE AND SYMS STREET. 



CHAPTl-.R W. 

"Early Municipal Affairs." 

The lir.^l nieiiibcrs of the 'i'owiiship Committee of our town 
were Messrs. Sinclair, Cox and Alilcorn, three in all. Air. W. 
Sinclair was the first chairman of the Township Committee, and 
-Mr. John A. I"reeland was the first Ttjwnship Clerk. At that 
time the treasurer was elected from among the members of the 
Township Committee, an.l the first person elected to that posi- 
tion was Mr. Sinclair. fhe office of assessor and collector was 
cotiibined in one, and Mr. Andrew Anderson was the first in- 
cumbent. 

Mr. Anderson held the office for twenty-three years, and 
no person in our town has yet equalled his record as to the 
length of time in office. 

The first meeting jjlace of the Township Committee was 
in the office of Mr. John Hague, and after a while meetings 
were held at the houses of different citizens, but most of the 
meetings were held at Mrs. C. 11. Piebes hotel, wdiich was the 
eld hotel on the Hillside road and Palisade avenue recently 
burnt down. 

In 1868 the township erected a town hall on Palisade ave- 
nue, near High street. After a wdiile they moved this l)uilding 
to Charles street, where it remained until 1888, when the present 
town hall was erected. The old building was purchased by 
C'nas. E. Galbraith, wdio moved it to Clinton avenue, and uses 
it to this day as a real estate office. 

1 he office of recorder was not created until the year 1875. 
Previous to this time the Justices of the Peace tried most of the 
cases. There were no policemen in those days, and on holi- 
day> and other extraordinary occasions, the Townshi]) Commit- 
tee would engage the services of the constable to preserve 
the ])eace. After the office of rec(-)rdcr was created the first 
incuml>ent was Mr. W. E. Simms. 

The offices of assessor and collector was separated in the 
year 1871, and our first assessor was Mr. Herman Prusing. 

At the time of the incorporation of the township., the post 
office was stuated on Paterson avenue, in a grocery store kept 
by John Erecland, who was also the ])OStmaster. 




PUBLIC SCHOOL No 3 SUMMIT AVENJE AND ELM STREET- 




PUBLIC SCHOOL ^0 4. NlALONE STREET. 



Previous to tlic cliartcring of onr town, the voting popula- 
tion were coiiij)ellL'cI to journey to one or the other of the to!- 
lowing ])laces to register ilieir \oie. J'o New Dtn-hain, the 
Five Corners in jersey City, and sometimes to Seeley's hotel 
in Xortli iJergen. there being no polhng ])laces nearer our town 
than the places above nientioneil. When those in auilmriiy would 
designate the Five Corners as the polling ])lace, it meant (|uite 
a journey to people living here, es])ecially when you eonsider 
that in tho'^e days we had no ra])id transit falicities whatever, 
and people had to walk or else go by h(jrse and wagon. 

It would be a pleasant sight to look u])on to see some of 
our present citizens trudging their way to one of these voting 
places, more especially those who to-day need a coach to carry 
them a few blocks, to exercise one of the highest privileges 
accordetl to the citizens of this Crand Re])ublic, the right of 
suflfrage. 

After the incorporation of the townshi]i the first polling 
l)lace was established in Carry \'an Xorst's hostelry on Pater- 
son avenue, corner Clinton avenue, for spring elections, and the 
fall elections were held at Mrs. C. H. Piebe's hotel on Pali-ade 
avenue and the Hillside road. 

The first street improvement made under the direction of 
the Townsliip Committee was the grading of Washington ?treet, 
which was done in the year 1868. 

In the minutes of the Township Committee of April 25, 
1870. I find a motion directing the street committee "to hire 
constables to remove the fences placed across Clinton avenue, 
below Paterson avenue," and on May ii, 1870, we find that *']Mr. 
John Syms reported that a fine sj^ring existed near Union street 
and Clinton avenue, and advised the placing of a public pump 
there." It is not recorded whether the Township Committee 
])laced a pump here or not. but I might mention that a pump 
similar to the one suggested by Wr. Syms existed on Paterson 
avenue, where the people, who did not boast of a well of their 
own. were in the habit of procuring their supply of drinking 
water. 

For the benefit of those people now living on Malone 
street, who only know that street as it exists to-day, let me 
state that on April 23, 1872, Mr. Herman P)rusing informed the 
Township Committee that "the natural water course on Malone 
street was obstructed on account of a drove of cattle destroying 
its banks.'' 

At this time another water course wended its way through 
the "commons" in a northeasterly direction, and passed on, 




ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL, Clinton avenue and high street 



down the Hillside, in the rear of Nienaber's hotel, in Weehawk- 
en, where, in stormy weather, it resembled a minature Niagara. 
From here it flowed through Frost's farm, and emptied into the 
Hudson River. With the establishment of the sewer system in 
our town the brook became a thing of the past. 

The first record of a township election in the minutes of the 
Township Committee appear under date of April, 1863, which 
must have been the third election. Following is the record of 
this election: — 

"The annual meeting for townshij) election took place at 
Xeptunc Engine House, and from there adjourned to Garret 
\'an Vorsts on Paterson avenue. The Board of Elections con- 
sisted of Aaron K. Nafey, judge; C. A. Buckbee, A. Anderson, 
and W' . Sinclair, clork. 



After adiournnuMil and the c<>nnlin;j^ of tlic votes, tin- fol- 
lowiiii;' citizens were declared elected. 

lownship clerk — W'ni. Sinclair. 

Judge of Elections— John M. Cardncr. 

Asses.sor and collector -Andrew Anderson. 

Chosen freeholder — John Hague. 

Surveyors of Highways — Andrew O'Keefe and Henry 
Wettig. 

Commissioners of A]-)]H'als — Jacob \'an Skiver and Jose])l) 
L. Picollo. 

Overseer of Poor — Thos. Guinan. 

Overseer of Highways — John P. Van Skiver. 

Township Committee— Wni. Galbraith, Herman Stuckey 
and Jacob \V. h'reeland. 

Constable — Jos. l^verson and Thos. Brennan. 

Aj^propriations — Schools. $i,6oO; roads, $1,400; fire de- 
])artment, $100; bounty for volunteers, $1,750; poor. $300." 

A comparison might be made in regards the a])propriations 
made at the above electicMi, and those that are required to main- 
tain our town to-day, if you take away the $1,750 bounty for vol- 
luiteers, vou will find tliat the total foots up ^3AOO, which was 
rdl that w^as required to maintain every department of the town- 
ship. It takes this amount at the i)rcsent date to maintain our 
fire department. 

In the vear 1884 the township assumed the title of town, 
but retained the old charter, and in that year the following 
citizens were elected to the town committee: — Mr. Alfred De 
Bevoise (who was chairman of the committee); Thos. Nolan 
(wdio was also treasurer); B. Fitzgerald, Rich E. Galbraith and 
Fred. Engeln. Mr. L. A. Farr was elected town clerk. In this 
year a regular paid police force was established, with Mr. Fred 
Seiler in command as sergeant. The only incumbent on the 
present force who was then a member is Mr. William Lu(llow. 
who was first appointed to do police duty in the townshi]) in 
1879. The special officers of the latter date were paid by the 
piecew^ork svstem, receiving 15 cents for each hours work. In 
addition to this thev received 75 cents for making an arrest: 
^o cents for attending court; $1.48 for conveying a prisoner to 
Snake Hill (to wdiich place they invariably had to walk), and 
$1.25 for lodging a prisoner in the County Jail. 




ST. MARY'S HALL, 1861. 




ST. MICHAEL'S LYCEUM, CLINTON AVENUE and hich street. 



CIIAPrER V. 
Schools, 




1 1)0 cradle of the present mag- 
nilicent school system was a little 
^ frame liouse which, in tlie vear 1845, 
was situated on lloboken street, near 
Spring. Over this school i)rcsi !c,l a 
teacher bv the name cjf Kelly, who 
was als(.) the ])rinci])al. 

A few years after this another 
school was established on Ann 
street, and this school was in charge 
of a teacher named Kroh. Both of 
these schools were small one-story 
frame structures, containing one 
large room. About thirty children at- 
tended each, and ])revious to their 
establishment, scholars were com- 
] jelled to journey to New Durham and to Hoboken, to receive 
an education. I am told by old timers that New Durham is 
one of the oldest school districts in this vicinity. 

These schools were semi-public, the tuition was free, but 
all books, etc., had to be furnished by the parents of the schol- 
ars. Many a time pupils would be interrupted in their studies 
with a conmiand to go and out and cut some wood to keep the 
fire going. Imagine a state of affairs like that existing to-day, 
and yet the system of education must have been good, else how 
do you account for the many learned men of to-day who re- 
ceived their i)rimary education in schools like these. 

About A])ril, 1856. there was anotlier school situated at the 
corner of Paterson avenue and Spring street. The principal of 
this school was Mr. Andrew Carter, and he had an assistant 
teaciier also, a Mrs. Parker. 

When the township became incorporated in 1861, an act 
iiassed the Legislature forming a new school district, viz.: West 
Hoboken. The school laws of that time ])r()vided for a super- 
intendent of schools elected by the people of each district, and 
the Rev. Jas. C. Egbert became the first superintendent. 



Besides the school presided over by Mr. Carter, there was 
r.ow another school, situated on the IJackensack IMankroad, 
near the site ol the Relonued Church. 'I'liis buihliuL,' was 
owned by the late Chas. Statley and was previcnisly used hy hun 
as a stable. It acconnnodated about forty pui)il.-, and there 
were, all told, in both schools, one male and tliree female teach- 
"crs. anil these were the first public schools of our town. 

In 186^. the l\ev. L". A. I'.uckbee became the town su])erin- 
leuvlent. and the enrollment at lhi,> time was about 200. 

In 1864. Thos. Keynton became sui)erintendent, and the 
tow nship now had a poi)ulation of nearly 2,500. and the expenses 
for maintaining; the schools in this year was $1,366.44. 

In 1865 the sum of $1,200 was voted for a new school site, 
and an act passed the Legislature of that year authorizing the 
issue of $20,000 in bonds for the erection of a new school 
l)ui!ding. Or« August 24. 1866, the site of the present Xo. i 
school was purchased for $1,350. and on Sej^tember 27. of the 
same year. Trustee James Aitkens was a])i)ointed a committee 
of one to procure plans for a new building. After reporting on 
same, the board took steps to erect the present school, which 
Avas completed in 1867. at a cost of $32,762.56. 

The citizens of the town were delighted with th.eir new 
school, which at that time was considered one of tlu> finest 
buildings of its kind in the county. 

Considering the old barns and shanties which had been \v. 
use previous to the building of the new school, it is no wonder 
that the people were delighted, and as for the scholars, they 
must hc-ve thought they were entering a palace. 

Tlie first ])rincipal of this school was Mr. John Kevnton, 
who received a salary of $1,000. The first teachers in addition 
to Mr. Keynton were as follows: — 

Mr. Chas. T. Scheck, Miss M. E. Tyson, ]\liss H. E. Eddy, 
]\Iiss M. Vacqueray, Miss C. L. Brown, Miss A. E. P.enedict, 
^liss I. A. Brockway, Miss M. S. Brown, and Garret Spear, 
jani'.or. The only one of the above teachers now teaching in 
our schools is Miss I. A. Brockway. 

In the year 1868 the Legislature abolished the office of 
Town Superintendent, and created in its stead that of County 
Superintendent, and Mr. \\'. L. Dickinson became the first in- 
cumbent of the latter office. 

The new school had a seating cai)acity of /^jS>. It answered 
its purpose until the year 1887, just twenty years after its erec- 
tion. In that vear Geo. Muendel, then clerk of the Board of 
Education, in making his annual report, drew the attention of 




FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, hackensacr plankroao. 




FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, CLINTON AVtWUE and SEHRtLL STREET. 



the citizens to the fact tliat there were over (me lhoii>an'l 
scholars enrolled, and an averatje daily attendance of i/x). Mr. 
Mnendel wenl on U. slate that a new school would have to he 
procured or else some clas,scs would have to be put on hall-day 
sessions. 

riii- resulted in the authorities makiui^ an effort to provide 
iiH.re room, and during the year iH^S-.Stj, a buildini^ on Syms 
street, between Spring and VVest streets, was hired and used a< 
an annex. The opening of this annex somewhat relieved the 
crowded condition of Xo. i school, but this did not last long, 
becaus.^ it was just al)Out this time that the northern end <-! 
the town began to build up fast, and in a short time the old 
school again became crowded beyond its seating capacity, do 
again relieve the old school the board, on February 24. i8iji. 
opened another annex on Clinton avenue, near Angeliqne street. 
This building consists of two three-story brick houses. It was 
owned bv the Hoboken Land Improvement Comirany and was 
built bv the lamented Schultz. The building is now occui)ied 
3)\- families. 

Over this annex Miss M. Contessa presided as principal. 
• and there were five lady teachers, wdio tauglit as many classes, 
(^ur town w^as now^ growing so fast that it became a stand- 
ing puzzle for the Board of Education how to l<eep pace Avitli 
the times and the rapidly growing host of little ones who were 
entrusted to their care. 

A few^ years after being opened, both the annexes and the 
old school were again overcrowded, and it was plainly seen that 
nothing but the erection of a new and modern school building 
would suffice, and after due consideration it was decided to 
request each of the two ])olitical bodies to ])lace upon their 
tickets at the spring election an approi)riation for a new school 
1 which, at that time, was the manner in whch funds were raised 
for erecting municipal buildings.) The peoi)le at the following 
election endorsed the plan by a large majority, and the result 
was the building, in 1894. of School No. 2, on Central avenue 
and Syms street, at a cost of $45,000. 

Ev'-n this school in a short time became twercrowded. and 
two vears later, in 1896, No. 3 school was erected, and four 
years after this, in 1900. No. 4 school was built. 

It can be seen from this wdiat strides our town must have 
made in population. In six years we had to erect three large 
tip-to-date schools to accommodate the scholars, and it is only 
a few vears since our last school was erected, and it is very evi- 
dent that another will soon have to be built. Mr. lohn Keyn- 




ST ANTHONY'S ITALIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. MORRIS street. 




ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, palisade avenue and Charles street 



toil severed his coiincctitjn with the schools in tlie year 18S3. 
an I Mr. V.. M. Allen \v;n apjointcd {o succrcd him; lie only 
hclil ihc |)lacc a U\v niDnlli-', when the ])re.sent ethcient an 1 
])ainstaking official, Mr. Kcberi W'ater.^, was made jjrincipal in 
1884, and it i.s largeK dui' to hi> imtirint^ work and ceasele.^s 
efforts tliat the present hiijh standard of West JJob(>>keirs puhlic 
schools is maintained. 

There is connected with our schools an excellent library, 
which is maintained principally by the scholars themselves, who. 
under the direction of their teachers, at various times give en- 
tertainments, the proceeds of which are placed to the credt of 
the library fund, as are also the ])roceeds of the annual ])icnic 
and the closing exercises. The library now contains 3,305 
volumes. 

To conduct our schools at the preeent day we have one 
sn])erintendent. Mr. Rol)t. Waters, and the following ])rincipals; 
If No. I school. — Mis? Carrie Reinhardt is principal of the 
primary department, and Mr. E. J. Tomlinson over the gram- 
mar department. In No. 2 Miss Maria Hillas is princi])al; in 
No. 3 Miss Maria Contcssa, and in No. 4 Miss Sarah Gillmore 
is primary principal, and Mr. Waters presides over the gram- 
mar department. In all we have 83 teaches and the total cost 
for maintaining these schools in this year is $65,000. 





GCRMAN BAPTIST CMl/RCH, coi/RTLANDt street. 




UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. PALISADE AVENUE AND OAK STREET 



TraiK^il l'"acilities. 

Previous to Lhe year 1846 there was no way of reaehing tlvi 
krries cr any other point, exee])t by private eonveyanee or by 
walking. 

In that year a Air. Saltznian began running stages from De- 
niotl street and Clinton avenue, to the Iloboken ferry, going 
down the Paterson Plankroad. Jersey City. This road changed 
liands twice, first to Capt. Rawson and then to a Mr. Rusted. 
The stages had no regular schedule as to running time, but 
would leave at the driver's convenience. The fare to the ferry 
was one shilling (currency of that time.) This line subsequent- 
ly drifted from lhe last named owners to Peter Mechler, and 
fr.im liim '.o Nicholas Goelz. When (ioelz got control of tiie 
line he changed its starting i)lace and route from West Hobo- 
ken to Union Hill, using the llackensack Plankroad as the 
route to the ferry. This was in 1859. He erected his stables 
on Bergenline avenue and ITanklin street, in the latter town. 
About this time a line of horse cars ran from the ferry to Con- 
gress street in jersey City. 

In 186,:^ the Parns of Nicholas Coelz were struck by light- 
ning and burnt down, and before re-building same he consoli- 
dated with the Jersey City Company, whose cars were running 
in the latter city and Hoboken. 

After the consolidation the company, in 1865. erected the 
car depot on Spring street, and a steam dunnny was installed 
on the Palisade avenue line in Jersey City. This road was then 
extended up into West Hoboken, running as far as the Hillside 
road. In 1871 the tracks were extended to the car stables and 
the use of the dummy was discontinued, and the first horse car 
was run through our town. This road, since that time, has re- 
peatedly changed hands, and all of us are acquainted with the 
facts concerning the passing of the old horse cars and the sub- 
stitution of the more up-to-date trolley car. 




GERMAN METHODIST C H U RC H , CLIN70N AVENUE AN OAK STREET. 




mir" 





TEMPLE ISRAEL, CLINTON AVENME- 



CllAlTER \11. 

Oil. Gas and Electric Street Lights. 

llefore the year 1872, the stores and residences of this town 
were ilhuninated only by the use of kerosene lamps, and as for 
street lights that was left ti) the moon and stars, if they chose to 
shine, and if the\- didn't the streets were in darkness. 

In the latter }ear the Township Committee entered into an 
agreement with the Hudson County Gas Compan\-, whereby 
that Conipan\- was given ])erniission to lay gas mains in tlio 
several streets. 

The township contracted with them to light the streets, 
VA\d at first had 17 gas lamps in use. the townshij) and Gas Com- 
pany each paying half the salary of the gas lighter, wdio w'as Mr. 
John Everson. He held this pkice until 1874, when Mr. Charles 
Hall procured the position. Wy this time 200 oil lamps had 
been added, and 13 more gas lamps. Mr. Hall held the contract 
for caring for these lamps until 1875, when Messrs. Collins and 
Everson got the contract, and they were the ol^cial caretakers 
of the street lamps until 1890, and at this time there were 596 
gas lam])s in use and no oil lamps. 

An amusing incident in connection wdth this contract for 
street lighting was a clause which prohibited the lighting of the 
lam])s on nights when the moon was supposed to shine. It 
(ijdn't matter if it was story on these nights, or if old Lima 
was obscured by the clouds, as long as the almanac stated that 
it would be moonlight the lights were not lit, and at these times 
the streets were in total darkness. 

In the _\ear 1890, the town council cnntracted with the 
Hudson Electric Light Company for 15 arc lights. These were 
placed on Clinton avenue from Stevens street south, and on 
Spring street from Stevens street north. 

After the installation of these electric lights the council 
gradually added more until all the gas and oil lamps were done 
awav with, and to-day I do not think I exaggerate wdien I say 
that there is no municipality in the State that can lay claim to 
being better lighted than our town. With very few exceptions 
everv street corner is adorned with an electric litrht. 




SWISS CHURCH. WEST STREET NEAR DODO 




SORTH-VEST CORNFR SPRING AND DODD STREETS. 



CIIAITF.R \'lll. 
-Municipal Water. 

The town in its infancy, like all country places, (le])cn(lcd 
entirely on the various wells and cisterns for its drinking- water. 
and. as stated in another part of this histt)ry. there were ])ul)lic 
jmnips and cisterns in various parts of the town. 

In the spring of 1883, the Hackensack Water C()ni])anv 
(having first entered into an agreement with the town council), 
hegan laying mains through Palisade avenue, Clinton avenue. 
S])ring street and the Weavtertown road. 

The water was turned on for domestic and fire service on 
Septemher 14. 1883. and this was an occasion of great rejoicing 
1)\ the citizens, a feature of wdiich was a grand parade, in wliicli 
nearly every fire company in North Hudson took part. 

The supply of w-ater was furnished from the water tower 
in Weehawken until the year 1901. but. as the consumption of 
water increased so rapidly, it became necessary to furnish a 
large storage, which resulted in the building of a reservoir at 
l-Mgewater Heights, with a capacity of 18,000,000 gallons, from 
which our town is at present supplied. 

This reservoir is located at an elevation of 319 feet above 
the Hudson River, which is 18 feet higher than the top of the 
tower at Weehawken. 

Since the water supply was first introchiced many exten- 
sions of the svstem have been made in the new streets that 
have been opend. in order to provide for the rapidly growing 
Inoculation, until, at the present time, there are 21 miles of 
n^.ains laid out, and 190 fire hydrants connected with the system. 




tST PRESBYTeRIAN CHURCH, CLINTON AVENUE AND HAGUE STREET. 







CLINTON AVCNUe. BETWEEN MONASTARY AND STEVEN STREETS. 




CHAPTER JX. 
Public Library. 

The Free Pubbic Library w-nl into active operation on 
Inne I, i8c>8. issuing books on Tuesday and Thursday evenings 
ot each week. 

The first P.oard of Library Trustees consisted of Messrs. 
Lucien P. Druck, chairman; Paul Konert. clerk; Louis A. 
Menegaux. Ilcnrv O. Steinhofif and John Lane, with Mrs. A. 
I'arker. librarian.' The board organized in No. I school, and on 
December i. 1898, leased its present quarters, 327 Clinton ave- 
nue. Onlv the ui)per floor of this building was used at first, the 
l)()ard subseciuently acquiring possession of the entire buddmg. 

The library began its existence with 1,500 volumes, and to- 
day there are '?,syo2 volumes on the shelves, and there are en- 
loiled as members 1.908 male and female citizens, and during 
the last year (1902), 20.584 books were issued. 

That great philanthropist. Mr. Andrew Carnegie, has re- 
cently notified the library trustees that he is ready to donate 
S25.000 for a new library' building. The authorities have com- 
l)lied with the terms of his generous offer and have recently \)\\r- 
chased the necessary ground on High street for the erection of 
the building, which.' I suppose, will be erected and in operatit)n 
])\ the time this history is given to the public. 




ST. MATTHEW'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, CLINTON AND HIGHPOINT AVENUES. 




WAGON ELEVATOR, WEEHAWKCN TO WEST HOBOKEW, 



\ cai 



ClIAPTKR X. 

The \'otc to Consolidalc with Jersey City. 

It is perliaps i^roper io niention that some time m the 
1868. a grand scheme originated in tlie fertile hrams of 
.ome of the wise men of Jersey City, whereby a bill was i)re- 
pared and introduced in the Legislature, which provided for 
the holding of an election in this county, at which the voters 
were to determine whether or not the county would be consoli- 
dated into one city, and under the corporate name of Jersey 
Citv. The latter city being deep in debt had her greedy eyes on 
tlie rest of the county as a fertile field for reaping new taxes and 
so help reduce her debt. 

Ihe Bill pas-;ed tlie Legislature and the election took place 
(Ml October 5, 1869. and had it not been for the citizens of West 
iloboken, tlie desires of Jersey City would have been gratified, 
and 1 would not to-day be occupied in writing the "Story of 
West Hoboken." Previous to the passing of the Bill, mass 
meetings were held here under the auspices of the Township 
C ommittee, and the citizens, to protest against its passage, or in 
the event of its passage, to arouse the voters to a sense of their 
duty in opposing its adoption at the election which followed. 
This agitation bore good fruit, for when the result of the elec- 
tion was made known, it was seen that all the southern end of 
the county, as well as the northern end (excepting West Hobo- 
ken and Bayonne) voted in favor, and the vote in West Hobo- 
ken stood 95 for. and 256 against. By this action North Hudson 
was forced to stay out, thereby keeping Jersey City below the 
I'aterson Plankroad. 

This scheme was recently repeated again by the wise men 
of lersev City, and another measure passed the Legislature call- 
itig for a commission to investigate the matter and re])ort back 
to the Leg-islature. Although the commission was appointed 
bv ex-Gov. Voorhies. nothing, as yet, has come of it. and even 
if it did. West Ho])oken could be relied upon to repeat the ac- 
tion taken by her on this matter 33 years ago. 

During- the session of the Legislature of 1884, another 
measure passed the Legislature, whereby the eastern slope of 
the hill at Lossburg, was annexed to Wechawken. It is a 
mastery to our citizens why this w-as done, and why our people 
did not take some action that would have stopped it. instead of 
standing idly by and allowing the grab to be made as they did. 




ST. JOSEPH'S GERMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 




NORTH HUDSON CLUB, spring and high streets. 



CHAPTI-R XI. 

Latter Municipal Affairs. 

As stated before, the townsliip became a town in 1884. 
W hile it was governed mider the township laws it had three 
township committeemen until the year 1868, and after this latter 
\ear it had five councihnen to g-overn it, who were elected at 
large, no ward or district lines being drawn. 'J'his method was 
in lorce until the year i8(;i, when the town ado])te(l the special 
charter for tt)wns, which was passed at the instance of West 
lloboken. This charter provided for the election of a cinmcil- 
nian-at-large and the establishment of not less than three wards, 
which arc represented by two councihnen, making a board of 
council, consisting of seven members, lender this charter Mr. 
Charles j. Chandless was elected the first councilman-at-large. 

In politics the town in its early history was non-partisan, 
that is, its citizens were elected to office in the majority of cases 
regardless of their politics. This state of affairs continued un- 
til the adoption of the last charter. When the ward lines were 
established it resulted in political clubs being formed and the 
injecting of party politics in the spring elections. 

At the first election, under the present charter, the Demo- 
cratic party swe])t the town, and with the exception of one year 
(1894;, they have continued in power since that time. In the 
latter year an Independent ticket was placed in the field by the 
Municipal Club, an organization composed of independent citi- 
zens, and after a hot campaign the entire independent ticket 
was declared elected. In the spring of 1893, Mr. I'.enj. Day 
was the candidate for councilman-at-large on the nnmicii)al 
ticket, and Mr. Chas. J. Chandless (who had already served two 
terms), was the Democratic candidate. After the Board of Can- 
vassers had declared Mr. Day elected. Mr. Chandless contested 
the election on the ground that several marked ballots were 
counted for Mr. Day. Ex-Judge Lippincott decided the case in 
favor of Mr. Day, but Mr. Chandless's attorneys immediately 
appealed the case, and the higher court reversed Lii)i)incott"s 
decision, and declared Mr. Chandless elected councilman-at- 
large. lUit there were four councihnen in the board who were 
elected by the municipals, as follows:— Messrs. \\. Fitzgerald, 
(ieo. f. McEvvan. Chas. Solyum and Jacob Leuly. Tliis board 
started out as reformers generally do. and. although their inten- 



lions were umloubtcdlv of llic besi, tlicv hfing nil lioncsl, (.-on- 
scientious citizens, their efforts at reform vw^-re entirely to ag- 
l^ressive, anil they soon made for themselves a li(;st of enemie-. 
'J liev cut down the salaries of tlic iiolicemen, the street laborers, 
the various town officials, and their own salaries. Every ap;:ro- 
priation was cut down lower than the preceding year, and from 
the standpoint of the taxpayer. 1 su]-)i)Ose their efforts were ap- 
l^rei.'iatcd. but if so. at the following election very few taxpayers 
could have voted because these reformers were each one de- 
feated and the Democrats again came in control of town affair.-. 

At the election in 1899, Mr. (leo. ]>. l>ergkanip was electe 1 
councilman-at-large, and while in oflicc lie managed to get into 
the disfavor of several of the Democratic leaders in the town, 
and when he came up for rcnomination, they pitted Thos. Nolan 
against him at the primaries. Xolan received the noniination 
and Bergkainp announced that he was an inde])endent canfli- 
(late. Tlie Republicans nominated Mr. E. C. Euvrard, and this 
made it a three-cornered light. 

The Republicans were rent apart by factional fights. The 
Democrats were divided by the fight over llergkani]), and the 
ensuing election became the hottest and most bitterly contested 
in the history of the town. When the ballots were counted it 
was found that liergkamp had proved his po])ularity and was 
elected by a greater majority than his Republican '»]^ponent 
received votes. 

To sum up. our town is to-day the largest in the State, 
having grown from a small village of i,5CX) in 1861, to the pres- 
ent population of nearly 30,000 people in icp2. 

We note in our midst some of the finest residences in Xorth 
Hudson; our town is well taken care of in regards police; our 
force consisting of i chief, i captain, i detective. 2 sergeants, 
3 roundsmen and 24 patrolmen. In regards our fire department 
anything I might say in its favor would very likely be termed a 
biased opinion, but let our citizens trv and remember the last 
time a fire got beyond control of our fire department, and com- 
pare the result with de])artments in other towns and cities the 
size of ours. 

We have among us 14 churches, among which is the Mon- 
astery of the Passionist Eathers, beyond the shadow of a doubt 
one of the finest religious edifices in the State. 

We have a beautiful public park, which was given to us by 
the Hoboken Land and Improvement Companv. The stores 
in our town can and do supply our citizens with their smallest 
and largest wants, at prices which compare favorably with tho'^e 
of the metropolis. 



( )nr public scliools arc acl<n()\vk'ili^i'(l 1)\ authorities to be 
amiuig tlic best in thr State both as to buiKlini;s and as t<; the 
nietliod enii)loyc,l in teachiiii;. ( )ur supply of (Irinkinj^ water 
i> pure and whole.-unie. 

We liave numerous barge factories wliich give employment 
t( a small armv of our citizens, Wc have tlie largest silk fac- 
tory, and the ir.ost up-to-date brewery in the State. Our rapid 
transit facilities are good, being able to reach Union S.(|uare, 
New York., in half-an-hour. and we have good streets, among 
Avhich are 6 1-2 miles of Ikdgian block. 2 miles of asphalt and 
2 1-2 miles of Macadam pavements, and to this list is constant!) 
l)eing added more, and in a few years all our streets will be im- 
l)roved. All our streets are kept clean, and the unimproved 
streets are generously supplied with crushed stone. The Hudson 
I'oulevard. one of the finest driveways in the country, runs 
through our town and furnishes a fine place for the lovers of 
horse flesh to exercise their trotters. 

The picture I have drawn above might seem to some to be 
the product of an over zealous mind, but I can safely say that 
there is no one in our town to-day who can prove that any asser- 
tion 1 made in the above lines are anything else but the Gospel 
truth, and it is my honest opinion that no finer place for a resi- 
dcMice could be found by anybody so near New York than West 
H iboken. 




CllAlMl-.K XI 11. 
Fire Depart nicnl. 

■r 




DEPARTMENT 



Previous to the year i85<S 
this town was without any 
])rotection tor fire at all. and 
on October 28 of that year a 
party of citizens and property 
holders of the i)lace. seeing- the 
urgent necessity for the estab- 
lishment of some sort of fire protection held a meeting at Mrs. 
Peibe's hotel, for the purpose of organizing a fire comj^any. 
Among those present at this meeting were: Messrs. A. K. Xa- 
fev. f. Oawbuck, W. H. Laune, A. P5. Ryerson. John Hague. W. 
\\. Alcorn, W. E. Wells, W. H. Joceline, J. C",. Syms and j. C. 
Gordon. 

At this meeting Mr. John Ci. Syms was elected chairman and 
Air. T- Ti. Gordon secretary, and various ways and means were 
discussed to procure the necessary apparatus with which to fight 
th- fire demon. Xothing definite was done at this meeting bc- 
v<-nd appointing a connnittee, consisting of Messrs. Xafey, 
Crawbuck and Laune, to draft a set of by-laws. The meeting 
then adjourned to meet at the call of the chair. 

The next meeting the connnittee on by-laws rei)orted on 
same, and after some discussion they w^ere adopted, and the fol- 
lowing citizens were added to the roll as members: Mr. Chas. 
Yates^ (uarret \'an \'orst. A. Grandjean. ("has. Savoye, Henry 
Sinclair. John Sinclair, j. H. Spadone. John T.aptist, John \'an 
Skiver. John II. Myers and John Dawse. 

Several names were now submitted for the new company, 
and after a vote on same it was decided to call it Xeptunc Fire 
Companv Xo. i. The Company now being organized the next 
procedure was tlv? elcc'ion of jjermanent officer>. which resulted 



as follows: Foronum. A. W. Rycrson; assistant foreman, W II. 
Laune; secretary, j. (1. (lorclon; treasurer, John llai^ue; inw ti- 
s^atiiii;- connuittee, j. C'rawbuck, A. K. Xafey and W. II. Alcorn. 

It was decided at thi> meeting- to apjxjint a committee of 
three to solicit sub.^cription.-. from the Insurance Companies and 
(.itizens to purchase an apparatus. The committee consisted of 
Messrs. A. P.. Ryerson. A. K. Xafey and W. K. Wells. 

After meeting- at Peibe's hotel a number of time.>. the meet- 
ing i)lace was changed to the l)asement of the Pre byterian 
Lhurch. The Comi)any met here until their house was erec.ed 
on Paterson avenue, on land leased from John Everson. jr.. on 
September 12, 1859. 

The committee on subscription having procured fun Is 
euougli to purchase an ai)paratus, a committee consisting oi 
Messrs. Piebes, Hague and Crawbuck was appointed to pur- 
chase same. The engine was purchased in Xew York Lity. and 
it at one time did duty in the department of the latter city. It 
v.as purchased on September 5, 1859, ^t a ct)st of $210. It was 
used here but a short time, for, on Xovember 22, 1861. the old 
liand engine (wdiich was sold by Neptune Co. last sununer) was 
l)urchased for $235, and the first engine in exchange. This 
engine also came from the Xew York department, and it is 
claimed by many that it at one time belonged to the fam<nio 
Black Joke Company ^^, of the Xew York l)e])artmein. 

A motion in reference to this engine made on Xovember 
22, 1861, which appears on the minutes of Xeptune Company, 
is given as follows: — 

'•John Lane moved that John \'an Skivers mules be en- 
gaged to take down old Xeptune to the engine builder and bring 
up the new engine." This was amended, and \'an Skivers mules 
brought the engine down as far as the ferry, and the company, in 
full uniform, then brought it home. 

Xeptune Company did duty alone in our tow-n until 1865, 
when Dexter Hook & Ladder Co. i was organized with A. ImIH- 
l)etti. as foreman. 

( )n September 18. 1865, a new company was organized in 
the Ponnsville district of the town. A citizen by the name of 
Heinlein kept a florist establishment about where Jane and 
West streets now meet, and in one of his greenhouses Eagle 
Engine Co. was organized. This part of the town, with the 
building of the car stables, had began to grow considerably, 
and it was seen that Xeptune Engine Company could not well 
take care of the entire town, and that a company in lionnsville 
would be a very useful adjunct to the department, and on the 
date last above mentioned, Messrs. Wm. Ludlow. \V. H. Dres- 



PAUSftDE AVE. AND MONASTERY ST 











chcr. J. Kiigland. Adam Sticgcr. W. IMullcr, Ernest Asmus. 
W 111. Stanford and M. Goelzc, met in llic grccnlionsc aforesaid 
and organized Eagle Hose Co. No. i, and elected the following 
officers: — Foreman. Win. Lndlow; assistant foreman, M. Goelz. 
Owing to the fact tliat tlie first minute books of this old com- 
])an\' have been lost, and as nobody living can recollect much 
aI)out its early history, we will simply say that their first head- 
(juarlers was situated on the llackensack Plankroad in a shed 
owned by a man named Stucke. The members raised sufficient 
funds in a short time to jiurchase a hose carriage, and a com- 
jiiittee consisting of Messrs. W. II. Drescher, Gus. Gondran 
and 11. Ludlow was appointed to purchase same at a price of 

They purchased the carriage from Eagle Hose Co. of Hud- 
son City, and this old carriage is still in the possession of Eagle 
Engine Co., and it is the oldest fire aj)i)aratus in this town. 
I'revious to its career in Hudson City it did duty in New York, 
and considering the fact that it has been in this town 38 years, 
and that its stay in Hudson City was about 15 years, and that it 
was used iii New York in the beginning, its age must be nearly 
threc-(|uartcrs of a century. 

This old carriage is now kept as a relic of by-gone days by 
Eagle Company, the town having recently purchased a new 
carriage for them. 

These three companies did duty in the town for a number 
of vears. and we find in the report of jose])h E. Taylor, chief 
engineer for 1869-70, a recommendation that the town build a 
house for Eagle Hose Co., and that the board of fire trustees 
had that year erected two brick fire houses, one for Neptune, 
on Clinton avenue, near Charles street, and the other for Dexter 
Hook & Ladder Co. on Charles street, this latter house still 
stands to-day in the rear of the town hall, having been recently 
remodeled, and is now used as the jail. 

A comparison might be made in regards the amount of 
hose which the companies had at that time and the amount in 
use to-day. Mr. Taylor, in the aforementioned report, stated 
tliat Neptune had four length of hose and Eagle also had four 
lengths. Each company now has about 25 lengths, a difference 
of 925 feet, and we now have four companies carrying hose in- 
stead of two. 

Mr. Taylor further states that in the year we had three 
fires, of which two were out of town. Tlie one fire in town was 
a stack of hay on the pasturage of the car company, and the two 
out of town fires were as follows: — July 30, 1869, Bunavista 
Hotel. North Bergen, and September 10, 1869, oil tanks on Erie 
Railroad, Penn. Horn Creek. 



SEBASTIAN MAULBECK, 




TOWN SURVEYOR 



OK" WKSX HOBOKKIV. 






Member of Society of 

Municipal Engineers 

of tlie City of New York. 



YOUR CAN BEAT FIRES 

BUT 

YOU CAN'T BEAT THE COOKING 
DONE ON ONE OF OUR 
GAS RANGES. 

It will Broil, Roast, Toast. Bake and Stew, 
ALL AT ONE TIME, 

.And give you just the right amount of heat 
for each of these. 

it will keep the kitchen clean, the house cool, 

And save money for you, for there's no wasted heat. 

GAS DEPARTMENT, 



Cliicl Clias. Ciravatt. on April i, 1873. mention^ ilic nnnic 
ul Xaia 1 llo.^o. 1 liis ct)iii])any had a short (.xi^lcncc. Its offi- 
cers were as follows: — - W. II. Casey, foreman; 11. J'". Corsen, 
assistant fi)reinan; l-'red Wells, secretary. Jls career was 
-tornn, and on account of the actions of some of its members, 
wliich were, to sa\- the least, scandalous, was disbanded when 
about one year oKl. 

Mr. (iravatt also states that *'tlic Exempt Engine Company 
i-; fuUv organized and invites the action of the township com- 
mittee to purchase a suitable apparatus for them." 'J'his com- 
]ianv latter became Empire Engine Comi)any. 

The first nxMition of Empire as a company is made by Chief 
bihn Rumer in his report for 1877-78. lie says that "Empire 
l-^ngine Co. 2 has 22 members, an iMiginc and Jiun])er in first- 
class condition, and 13 lengths of hose in fair order." 

This comjjany was formed by the Exem])t members of Nep- 
tune ICngine Co. It will be remembered that Neptune's first 
house was situated on Paterson avenue, and that later the town 
built them a house on Clinton avenue, near Charles street. This 
left the lower part of the town without proper fire protection, 
an 1 I sui;)pose it was to furnish the necessary and ])ro]:)er pro- 
tection to this part of the town that the Exempt Engine Com- 
]iany was organized, and on April 14, 1876, the following citi- 
zens organized the Exempt Engine Co.: — W. H. Laune, E. N. 
Eittle, Robt. H. Leary. J. A. Alcorn, Geo. Cox, John D. Mere- 
dith. Chas. A. Yates, Albert Grandjcan, D. Sencc, J. D. Van 
Skiver. Chas. Tanner. Alex. Stoltz, C. Van Vorst, Geo. Bove, 
los. E. Taylor, C. Lever, Luke Ames, M. Browne and J. G. 
Syms. 

The company's headquarters w'erc in Erancisco's barn on 
Demott street. 

The company was reorganized on September 6, 1877, as an 
active company, and was named Em])ire Engine Co. 2. Its first 
oflficers were: Robert E. Leary, foreman; Chas. A. Yates, as- 
sistant foreman: Jos. A. Alcorn, secetary; Albert Grandjean, 
treasurer. Its headquarters was in a house owned by Jos. Tay- 
lor, on Spring street, near Hague, and its present house on Ho- 
boken street, was erected in 1883. 

During the year 1878, Dexter Hook & Ladder Co. 1 was 
disbanded, and Columbia Hook & Ladder Co. i was organized, 
with Charles J. Chandlcss foreman; J. Hccht, assistant foreman; 
M. Eord, secretary, and John Rumer, treasurer. The old truck 
was sold and was sent down south, and a new truck (the one 
now in use), was purchased for Columbia. 



JAMES V. lORIO, 

Mason, Builder and 

General Contractor. 

448 central avenue, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 

EDW. NEPIVODA, 

Meeting Rooms for Lodges and Societies, 

HALL FOR THEATRES AND BALLS. 

420 &L 422 SPRING STREET, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



Louis L. Schmitt, 

GENERAL 

House Furnishing Goods, 

Crockery, Lamps, Glassware, Hardware, Stoves &. Paints. 

490 Spring Street, 

Near Dodd Street, West Hoboken, N. J. 



TclopliMne ir)4m I'liioii. 



The same year an eni;ine \va ^ purchased I'tjr I'ai^le Hose 
Co., and ihe etiinpany changed its name ironi "llo^e' to "\iu- 
yine" Conipaii\. 

In those (hiys the lire de])anr.ant had lu rehe on wells and 
cisterns for its water su])])ly, and n])(in reaching the scene tjf the 
lire the lirst thing done hy the lirenien would be to get their 
engine to work. To do this a well would have to be located, 
and many times the yard of the burning building would not 
boast ot" such a luxur\- as a well. Jn that case the nearest neigh- 
bor would suffer. 

As the well could not be brought to the engine, tlie engine 
must be brought to the well. Xow, wells as a rule are placed 
in the rear oi the yard, and to get a ]:)onderous han 1 engine 
near enough to the well to work it, a i)art of the fence would 
come dow:'., and woe to the householder if hi^ well was sur- 
roun led by a garden (which was generally the case.) When 
the well was ])uni])cd dry it was "dollars to doughnuts" that the 
garden would have vanished. If the lire was a bad one it wotild 
necesiarily take a large amount of water to subdue it, and wdiile 
the engines would be doing good work, the cry would go up 
that the w^dl was dr\-, which would mean the moving of the en- 
gine to another well, and in nine cases out of ten when the 
engines could again be worked the fire would be beyond con- 
trol. 

-AiKJiher (lraw])ack to that i)rimitive mode of fire fighting 
was that the men were compelled t(j draw these heavy engines 
to a fire, and after reaching it, would have to set to work to 
nian the pumps, and to let any other engine throw a better 
stream would mean disgrace to tlie company that was beaten. 
The present generation of firemen who do the work to-da\- know 
very little of the hardshi])S gone through by their fathers in the 
old fire dejKirtment. 

In the majority oi cases to-day. when the volunteers return 
from a fire, they do so to enter well-heated and up-to-date lunis- 
es; but not so with the old times. Idieir fire houses generally 
consisted of an old barn or an imused shed; and still with all 
those draw-backs, nobody can say that the old timers did not 
do good work, and they seldom let a fire get such hea lwa\- ihat 
it resulted very seriotislv. 

Idle town in those days also had several large cisterns for 
the use of the firemen, one of which was situated on Ann street, 
near the gate of the |)ublic school, and another in the extreme 
lower end of the town. It is not recorded that the-e cisterns 
were of any material lienefit to the department, because unless 
a fire happened near them they could not be used on account of 



Continental Boarding and Livery Stables, 

OXXO W. SCHINDLlilTJ, 1 ROP. 




Coaches, Cabs* aiul Light Caniaues to Hire. Horses Bought. Sold and 

Exchantred. 

3J6 & 3J8 CHAMBERS STREET, 
Tel. 102 i Union. West Hobofcen, N. J. 



FREDERICK BERKE, 

CARPENTER & BUILDER, 

Jobbing Promptly Attended To. 

Estimates Furnished, 



Two fami'iy brick and frame houses admirably situated 
on Weehawken Heights, For Sale on Easy Terms. 



454 Spring Street, 



West Hoboken, 



New Jersey. 



nut having enough hoso. hut they came in handy lor the "hoys" 
to use when they had a "wasli." 

'J'lie liand engines were usetl until the water ])ipcs were laid 
in the .streets in 1883, when it was seen that the pressure from 
the tire hydrants ecjualled, if it did not suppress that from the 
engines, and also with far less exertion on the ])art of the tire- 
men. Alter a slu)rt time the engines belongng to Eagle and 
Empire Companies were sold. Xeptune Com])any retained 
their engine as a relic. They owned it until last year, when 
thev (lisi)osed of it to a junkman for $25. In my estimation this 
was a very foolish thing for them to do, as its age and the 
memories connected with it would have made it an excellent 
apparatus for our Exempt Assocation to have owned, to use it 
f(ir parade ])urposes; and it seems strange that so many old 
timers who ran with this old machine would have stood idly 
by and seen it disposed of for a few paltry dollars. 

Refore the town l)uilt the old wooden bell tower in the rear 
of the town hall, the only method of giving an alarm of fire was 
by ringing the church bells, and the old St. John's and Presby- 
terian church bells were used for this purpose. 

After Empire Engne Company was organzed there were 
then three engine companies and one Hook & Ladder Co. doing 
duty in the town, and they constituted the fire department until 
June 3, 1887, when a new company was organized in the first 
ward. This part of the town had grown considerably in a few 
years and the citizens came to the conclusion that a Hook & 
Ladder Company in that locality was an absolute necessity. Ac- 
cordingly, on the date above mentioned, the following citizens 
met in Mr. Siler's hotel, corner Clinton avenue and John street 
and organized Americus Hook & Ladder Co. 2. and elected the 
following officers: — Foreman, George Fink; assistant foren-'an, 
E. T. Tournade; recording secretary, H. Fisk; financial sf^'''-:"tar\-, 
P. F isk; treasurer. W. E. Gill, and G. liene. H. Schneider, W. 
P. Sturgis, L. Alces, S. Fisk as charter members. The mem- 
bers of this companv have always been hustlers, and from the 
very beginning would leave no stone unturned to make a suc- 
cess of anything they undertook; and in a short time they raised 
sufficient funds to purchase a truck and hou>e themselves in a 
little house on Syms street, near West street. They were the 
first comnany in the de])artment to adoot the regulation blue 
cloth imiform. They innnediatelv entered the social world, and 
^ome of their entertainments and receptions ec|ualled, if they 
did not surpa<is anything in their line eyer attempted in the town. 

They have repeatedly given affairs, the proceeds of which 
have been flivided among needed cliarity ^t-ganization^^, and nt 



Galbraith s Agency, 

Charles F. Speer, 

REAL ESTATE & INSURANCE, 

NOTARY PUBLIC. 

315 CLINTON AVENUE, 

Near Charles Street. WEST HOBOKEN. N. J. 
Telephone 77 Union. 



dffi 



LOUIS KUCHENREUTHER. 

MERCHANT 
TAILOR, 

i^-.^^M^ 608 Spring Street, 

Bitwet'u Dubois :uk1 Walnut Stieets. 

WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. 




FREDERICK LANGE, 

DEALEK IX 

Hapdv/ape, Tools, Cutlery, 

CROCKERY, GLASS, TIN &l WOODENWARE. 

Oil and Gas Stoves, Lamps, Paints, Oils, Varnishes, 

Brushes, Window Glass, Putty, Table and Shelf 

Oil Cloth, Toys, Door &. Window Screens, etc, 

466 Spring Street, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



one time there was eonneeted with the company an atliletic as- 
sociation, who were invincible in Ijaseball, football and other 
athletic sjwrts. ll i- on account oi their husllini;- i)roclivities 
that Aniericus has attained anil kept its Wv^h place in the social 
and tirenien's circle of onr town. The company continned in 
its old hon^e until iStjs. when the town built for them their 
present handsome ([uarters on Syms street, at a cost of $6,000. 
The company ag^ain showed its hand in the hustlinjj;- line, be- 
cause, before the new house was finished they held a Fair in it, 
wliich netted them about $3,cxio, and with this money they fitted 
up their house in handsome style. To-day they are one of our 
best companies. 

(diief Louis Ilaa.^-, in his annual report for iH(jo, recom- 
mended the establishment ul a Hose Company in the middlc 
western section of the town. It needed only this recommenda- 
tion "to start the ball rolling::," for in September. 1890. Friend- 
ship Hose Co. No. i was orijjanized. with the followint:^ officers: 
l'\)reman, W. H. Laune; assistant foreman, John (jlace; record- 
ing.,^ secretary, E. Burckhart; financial secretary, (t. Rohrback; 
treasurer. P. Sabatine; chairman, John Roden, and its first head- 
quarters was located on Savoye street, near Summit avenue. The 
old house has since been torn down and a factory erected in its 
]dace. At first the company was supplied with a hose jumper 
by the town, and a few years after its orj^anization they were 
furnished with their present hose carriage, which was purchased 
from Lady Washington Hose Co. I, of the Yonkers F^ire De- 
partment. 

The present house on Central avenue was erected in 1897- 
It is an up-to-date building of its kind and is fitted up with all 
modern improvements. The cellar contains a complete kitchen, 
where "the bovs" prepare the various viands that are served up 
bv them to their guests on all festive occasions. Tlie Company 
always has a full roll of 65 members, and on parade this long 
line of blue shirted men is the pride of the whole department. 

The annual ma'^querade ball given by this Company is one 
of the social features of the town. It is yearly the largest ball 
given bv any organization in North Hudson. 

There was yet another company to be added to the depart- 
ment. The Third Ward had grown from a small village to a 
section of a large town, where a few years j)reviously there were 
fields and woods with a small house here and there. Tliere 
were now row after row of brick and frame houses, and for 
some time the citizens of this section had been discussing the 
advisabilitv of organizing a Hook & Ladder Company. Various 
attempts to establish a Truck Company here (among which was 



FRANK H. ECKERT, 



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454 Spring Street, 

Corner Oak Street, West Hoboken, N. J. 



WM. SMITH, 



\j 



GROCER, 



Coal Delivered by the Ton or in Small Quantities. 

252 Palisade Avenue, 

49 Sherman Avenue, 

JERSEY CITY. 

2i4 Clinton Avenue, 

WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. 

Telephone Connecting all Stores. 



tlic attempt of ?omc members of \\:\<j;;\v V.u'j^'mc Co. 3 to organize 
what tliov choose to call Washint^loii llook Si ladder C. 3, 
with I'. ). \ an Skiver as foreman^ had failed, and on Jnne 20, 
i8(;4. a niectintj was held at the "Capitol" Hotel, corner Spring 
and I)o(Kl streets, and Protection Hook & 1, adder Co. 3 was 
organized with the following oflficers and members: — Foreman. 
W. H. Drescher, Jr.; assistant foreman, Chas. Kremm; record- 
ing secretary, C. II. Kleene; financial secretary, Albert Laessig; 
treasnrer. Henry Leuly and J. T. Roman, C. E. T.oman. John 
Mahan. J. W. Smith, C. Kammeral, W. Stagen, K. J. Heuston 
and Rud. I'>ech. charter members. 

Tlie Company met weekly and appointed a committee con- 
sisting of W. }]. Drescher, Jr., E. C. Schede and G. H. Kleene 
to solicit subscriptions to purchase a truck. 

In the meantime they petitioned the town council to pur- 
chase a truck for them, and the petition was acted upon favor- 
af)ly by the authorities, and on h^brnary 19, 1895, they furnished 
the Comj)anv with their present handsome ai)paratus, which 
was built bv the firm of Gleason & IJailey, of Seneca Falls, N. Y. 

The event was celel^rated by a grand parade and jollifica- 
tion at the Company's house on Dodd street, which was erected 
on a lot leased to the Company by W. H. Drescher, Sr., and 
the house was erected with the funds raised by the aforesaid 
committee appointed to raise funds to purchase an apparatus. 

On July 2, 1897, the Company's house burned down. It is 
not known what caused the fire, but it is believed that a kero- 
sene lamp nuist have exploded, which was used to light the 
house. The truck was damaged to the extent of $300, and the 
members stood all loss and in three months time had built an- 
other house and had the truck repaired and repainted. 

In 1894 the Company moved into its present house, which 
was erected by the town at a cost of $6,000. It is fitted up with 
all modern improvements, such as steam heat, bath and shower 
bathrooms, etc., and the Company has spared neither time nor 
e.xpense in furnishing it with the best and handsomest furniture 
that could be procured, two chandeliers in the meeting room 
costing $100. 

The Company maintains a library which at present contains 
296 volumes. 

It appears that each of the lasi three Companies in the 
department has a special oflfering for those socially inclined, 
with Amcricus their "trump card" in minstrel sho^^^s; with 
Friendship it is masquerade balls, and with Protection it is 
smokers and house parties. The smokers given by Protection 



Telephone 5724-18111 St. 

A. COPIN, 

FLORIST. 
Jefferson Market, 

SIXTH MYENUE, Opposite 9th St., NEW YORK. 

FUNERAL DESIGNS A SPECIALTY. 
CHOICE CUT ROSES. 

GREENHOUSES, North Bergen, N. J. 

Established in 1880 at 225 Sixth Avenue. 

Orders Received at 264 Clinton avenne, West Hoboken. 



C. TIETJEN, 

Wholesale & Retail GROCER, 
395 Spring Street, 

Cor. Stevens Street, West Hoboken, N. J. 

Mail Orders Promptly Attended To. 



BRUCE & DAVIDSON, 

REAL ESTATE & INSURANCE, 

348 HUDSON BOULEVARD, 
West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



arc not ccinallcd by any other town ori;:inizatii)n, an.l arc luukct! 
forward U> witli ca.^cr delight by a h<xst ot' Protect ion's friends. 
I'lidcr the old system ol answcrin-' alarms rnng frcnn the 
])ell towers bv hand, nuich v;dualjle time was lost in locatinj; a 
fire, and the chiefs, anionj;; whom were ex-Chiefs llaag McCourt 
and Tonrnadc, wtndd, in their annnal rcjMirts. recommend tl^e 
installation of an electric alarm system, and in the year 1894 the 
])resent electric fire alarm was in-tailed at a cost of $6,000. 

With the "Towini;- pojjnlation of the town the demands made 
on the water system had a tendency to weaken the pressure 
considerably, especially was this the case in the high part of the 
town, in the vicinity of Central avenue and Malone street, an i 
during the incnnd)ency of Cdiief Ceo. T. Johnson, he let no o])- 
pcrtunitv c-caj^e him in bringing forth the fact that it was 
tin^e the town provided itself with a steam fire engine. V>\ some 
citizens and officials he was laughed at, and his remarks were 
taken as the result of over-zealousness in fire department affairs, 
but tlie wisdom of his words soon became apparent, for in Feb- 
ruarv, ii;o2. Ilelffs factory, in Lossburg, took fire and burned 
to the ground, and the ])ressure from the hydrants at this fire 
was miserable, and to caj) the climax, a week later Civernaud's 
stable took fire and also burnt to the ground. It was at this 
fire that a stream could not be thrown ten feet, and if their ha;I 
been anv h.ouses near this stable there is no telling wdiere the 
fire would have ended. 

The following spring, 1902. the council seeing they could, 
no longer delay it, ])urchased the present steam fire engine, 
which b a new engine built by the American Fire Engine Co., 
and with its advent our department is second to none in the 
State. 

From an insignificant village fire department, v.hich, m 
T<S6i, fought fire with a hand engine and four lengths of hose. 
it has grown to a dei)artnient which at present numbers about 
7-/^ men, divided into 7 companies, with 13 apparatuses, as fol- 
lows : — 

Xeptune luigine Co. i.— i steamer, i hose carriage and i 

Columbia Hook & Ladder Co. 1.— i hook and ladd.er truck. 
Empire Engine Co. 2.— i dio:e carriage and i jumper. 
Eagle Engine Co. 3. — 2 hose carriages and 1 iumi)cr. 
■XmericusFIook & Ladder Co. i.— 1 hook and ladder truck. 
Friendship Hose Co. i. — i hose carriage and i jumper. 
Protection Hook & Ladder Co. 3.— i hook and ladd.er 
truck. 



HEINS & COMPANY, 




BUTTER, CHEESE. EGGS. 

OFFICE: 169-171 Spring Street, West Hoboken, N, J. 



SAENGER HALL, 

RICHARD MERDER, Proprietor. 

Summit Avenue and Traphagen Street, 
West Hoboken. New Jersey. 



<*^. '♦^.*''fe»/'yr»> 



LARGE HALL ' LODGE ROOMS 

BOWLING ALLEYS 

For Clubs, Societies, Weddings and Parties. 



\Vc liavc alxiut 125 Iciis^llis of liose, which reprocnts 6,250 
feet. At each ahirin an extra ajiiiaratiis i-; left in the house m 
case a second fire breaks out, and one of the tliree liook and hrl- 
ikr trucks is ahvav- ready for a second alarm. 




G. K. KOCH, 

Wholesale and Retaii Gt i\ O C IL H , 

495 Spring Street, 

Corner Dodd Street, West Hoboken, N. J, 



WEST HOBOKEN HAT 
COMPANY, 

CHAS. J. SCHNEfDER, Prop. 

Hatter and Gents' Furnisher, 

180 SUMMIT AVENUE, 
West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



ROBERT SCHLEMM & SON, 

FUNERAL DIRECTOR, 

426 Spring Street, 

Call. 231 Union. West Hoboken, N. J. 

Coaches To Let at all Hours. 



TH1£ CUL'KCliES (JF WEST ilUCUKEX. 




irg-.^ 



:hu relies 
re is no 
:an decide 
wliich one is the oldest, It 
is known that the First Presbyterian and St. John's 
Cliurches, beyond donbt, are onr two oldest ehnrches. 
Init previous to the establishment (^f either, religious 
services were conducted in a silk factory, situated at that time 
on Hague street and owned by a i)erson named McRca. The 
services here were conducted by any minister that could be pro- 
cured, and no regard was paid to the denomination which he 
represented. It is claimed by some of the members of St. John's 
Church, that the ])eople who were in the habit of worshipping 
in this silk factory formed the neucleus of the ])r?;.ent Episcopal 
Church. Beyond hearsay evidence 1 could not procure any 
definite assurance that this is a fact; on the other hand the re- 
cords of the Presbyterian Church say that their congregation 
was formed bv the members of the aforesaid undenominational 
church, who adopted the Presbyterian faith after an attempt 
had been made by them to organize a Congregational Church 
It would seem by this that the Presbyterian is the oldest 
church, but it must be borne in mind that the congregation of 
St. John's, as present constituted, is older than that of the Pres- 
bvterian, for the reason that the Presbyterian's Church congre- 
gation was at once time a Congregational Church, while the 
Episcopal Church has never been anything else but an Episcopal 
Church. Let it also be remembered that the Ecclesiastical So- 
cietv of West Hoboken. which was the beginning of the IVes- 
1)vterian Church, was organized in 1844, and the Episcoi)al 
Church organized in 1846, two years later. A fact that is not 
disputed by anybody, is that the first church building in our 




— *'in» "Wwu >lB»»!i.B'% - 



Theo. Bernhardt, 



580 SPRING STREET, 



Tel. 39 Union 



FRED. SCHUBERT 



Choice MEAT MARKET, 

DEALER IN 

BEEF, VEAL , MUTTON, LAMB, PORK & POULTRY, 

480 Spring Street, 

Cor. Shippen St, West Hoboken, N, J. 



town was the old St. John's 1)uil(1ins]^ on CHnton avenue and 
Warren street. Init that old huildinij is now torn down and the 
oMest clmrch buildin.^ to-day is that of the I'rc.byterian Cluireh. 
1 will not venture to say wliich is the oldest church, and 
after readins; the sketch of both churches, 1 leave the reader io 
draw liis or her own conclusion. 

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN. 

C"linti)n avenue and Hague street. 

In the year i(S44 a religious society, entitled the I'xclesiasti- 
cal Society of West 1 loboken, was formed by a few of the dwel- 
lers in the ]dace, l)y which preaching on the Sabl^ath was regu- 
larly maintained, and by which also a Sabbath School, provided 
^yith a library and other re(juisites, was started. A minister 
was selected by this society each year, or oftcner, when neces- 
sary. 

ft was entirely undenominational in its structure and aims 
until, in 1847, It was decided to constitute it a Congregational 
C'liurch. 

Tlie organization, at which the Rev. j. V. Thompson, then 
l^astor of the Broadway Tabernacle, New York, presided, took 
])lace at the house which stood on the corner of S])ring and 
Demott streets, and was the residence of Mr. Nathan Brown. 
Tn less than a year this church was disbanded from some cause 
now unknown, but the members again constituted themselves 
an undenominational regilious bodv under the former title of 
the Ecclesiastical Society of West Hoboken. 

Meantime the Rev. Wm. Bradford, then editor of the New 
York Evangelist, liad come to the village to reside, having 
bought the house now used as a cork factory at the corner 01 
Palisade avenue and the Paterson Plankroad. An earnest Chris- 
tian minister, he at once became connected with this Ecclesiasti- 
cal Societv. At this instance, and through liis influence, a meet- 
ing was held, at which it was resolved th.at the time had ar- 
rived for the erection of a church edifice, and measures were at 
once taken to secure the accomplishment of this object. 

The result was the present building, the ground consisting 
of two lots, valued then at $250. which were given gratis for tlv^ 
])urpose by Mr. John Syms. 

During the process of erecting the church the congrega- 
tion ^vorshipped in MacCrea's silk factory, which stood upon the 
spot now occupied by the Davis Express ofifice and yard, hav- 
ing nreviouslv met in the house at the corner of Demott street 



G. A. HOFMANN, 

il A N r IWCTU KEIl OF 

High-Grade pianos. 

Repairing and Tuning Promptiy Attended To. 

BERGENLINE AVENUE AND FOURTH STREET, 

Union Hill, N. J. 

Telephone Call, 157 A, Union. 



ELM STREET MEAT MARKET, 

CHAS. SCHWARZ, Prop. 

DEALER IN 

Beef, Veal, Mutton, Lamb, 

Popk and Poultry. 

581 Spring Street, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



Tel, Call, 271 Union. 

WM. HOWARD-LOUCHE, 

registered architect, 

201 Shippen Street, 

Cor. Hudson Ave, Weehawken Heights, N. J. 

Office Entrance on Hudson Avenue. 



anJ Clinton avonne. and in the oM township school at the inter- 
section of the W'eaverlown road (now Uonlevard) and Kerrii^an 
avenue. 

'Idle work of buildini;- was bei^un early in 1S30, and .Mr. 
I'.ratlford being a member of the 1 bird I'resbytery of New \'ork, 
assured the people that they would receive the sympathy and 
help from that body should they consent to become connected 
with the Presbyterian Cdiurch. Their assent was at once and 
heartilv ^iven. and their recjuest to be organized as a rresbx- 
terian L liurcli was sent to the Presbytery and was inuneiliately 
granted, and the organization was accom])lished on the 12th 
dav o{ June, 1850. Thus it was that this congregation because 
a Presbyterian Church. 

Idle size of the original edifice was 28 by 50 feet, and its 
cost, exclusive of the ground and bell was $2,590.27. 

In connection with the church the proi)erty was held by 
what was known as the West Hoboken Lxceuni an! Library 
Association, and so involved and intricate was the relations thu'^ 
established that embarrassments were continually springing up. 
until, having raised the monev for the jjurpc^e, the congrega- 
tion purchased the sole ownership of the property at a cost of 
$2,200. The church was dedicated on June 25, 1851. Among 
the ministers who ot^ciated at the dedication was the Rev. Dr. 
P)Urchar(l. Rev. Dr. Campbell: Rev. Dr. Taylor, of the Bergen 
Ret'ornied Church; Rev. Mr. liatt. of the Paptist Church of Ho- 
boken, and the Rev. Air. Wiswell. 

Idic first communion service was held in the basement of 
the churcli on July 14, 1850, the Rev. E. T. Hatfield officiating, 
and from this time on for five years the church was served by 
stated supplies, among w]i(~)m nia\- be mentioned the Rev. 
Messrs. Howe, Alande! and Parker. 

On Sunday, the 8th day of .April. 1855, the Rev. Jas. C. 
Egbert, while yet a student at Cornell l'niversit\-, ])reached for 
the first time in this church. ( )n Wednesday of the same week, 
the iith, Mr. Egbert was licensed bv the Third Presbvterv of 
New York and was ordained to the gosi)el ministry on the even- 
ing of the same day in the Allen Street Presbyterian Church of 
New York. Having received a unanimous call from this 
church, and on June i.^, 1855, he was installed as pastor. 

The church in 1855 cc^nsisted of sixteen members, among 
whom may be mentioned the following: — Mrs. Amanda Parker, 
Mr. x\lsop Purdy. Mrs. Ellen Scott, Mrs. Helen Rvcrson. Miss 
Elizabeth E. Dailey, Mr. Robert Campbell anrl Eliza, his wife, 
Mr. John Rriggs and Marcella, his wife, Mr. John Rol)son, Mr. 



WEST HOBOKEN 
COAL AND FEED COMPANY, 

235-237 CLINTON AVE. and 407 SAVOYE ST, 
WEST HOBOKEN, N. J. 

BEST (JUAHES OF 

WHITE AND RED-ASH COAL, 

English Cannel Coal for Grates. 

Kindling Wood, &ic. Hay, Grain and Feed, 

Quality ami Prompt Delivery Guar ■.ntfed. 
Telephone Call. 0-t-I. Union. A, HE ARSON, Prop. 



JOSEPH DUSANEK^S, 

FIRST WARD HOUSE, 

CORNER SPRING AND SAVOYE STREETS, 

West Hoboken, N. J. 

Restaurant, K4eeting Room, Ball Roonn &. Bowting Alleys. 
Telephone 87 b Union. 



WILLIAM F. ZIEGLER, 

Sanitary 
PLUMBER AND GAS FITTER, 

211 CLfNTON AVENUE, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 

Jobbing Promptiy Attended To. 



("■oorjxc Sniitli aiv.l Mr... l-.liza Davidson. Tlurr nuirlnTc-d in. 
tlie Sunday scliouls thai year 80 scholars, witli no iniant chi-s. 

The pre-cnt nuMnbcrshi]) of ihc church i> 435. i here an- 
^CO scholars in ihc Sunday scliouLs. 

Tliere are connected with the church several societies, among 
wh'ch are the King's Daughters, with a mcnibership of al)out 
2c; the Christian lindeavor, with 60 members; the Junior Chri,-;- 
tian Endeavor, with 30 members; a l'\jreign Missionary Hand, 
which is 25 years old and has a membershii) tjf 100; the Ladie.-' 
Aid Society, and tlie I'.rotherhood of Andrew and Phili]). 

Mr. las. C C. Egbert continued as minister of this church 
for 40 years, resigning his pastorate on June 13. i8()7. T\yi 
congregation was loath to accept his resignation at first, but 
after due consideration the fact dawned u])on them that their 
l-,e!oved an<l honored ]-)a<tor was gaining in years, and that the 
increased work, which the fast growmg clmrch entailed u])on 
him. was proving too much for him and they reluctantly ac- 
cepted hi^ resignation, making him ]Tastor emeritus of the 
clmrch. and to fmnher show their ai)preciation of his long and 
faithful work, generously settled u])on him an annunity of $800 
per annum. 

Considering the fact that we have among us in the honored 
presence of jas. C. Egbert, a man v.ho has the distinction of 
being the oldest living pastor (both as to iM)int of service and as 
to age) of any church in North Hudson Coimty. a word about 
himself in the story of this old church I doubt would not be 
misplaced. 

Mr. Egbert was born in New York City on the 17th day of 
(October, 1826. and there received his education, attending the 
public schools and afterwards becoming a teacher in one of 
Ihem. Afterwards he continued his studies and also taught in 
the private school of Professt^r John Jason, of Xew Yoid<. and 
in 1848, having received a thorough preparatory training, then 
entered Xew York I'niversity. He was graduated with honors 
in 1852. receiving the degree of B. A., and on March 4. 1889. 
the university conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doc- 
tor of Divinit\- in recognition of his eminence as a minister and 
of his learning and standing as a scholar. 

He has twice been nio lerator of the Presbvterv of Jersev 
City: is a men^ber of the Associate Alumni Club of th'^ Union 
Theological Seminary, and is known throughout the State and 
in other Prp-bvteries as a man of broad culture, of great learn- 
ing and of fine intellectual attainments. 

Mr. Egbert, wdiile acting as minister of this church, has 
married 389 conples and has ministered at 1,000 funerals. 



Raffy a. Capone, 

GENERAL 
CONTRACTOR, 

808 HIGHPOINT AVENUE, 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 

Telephone 160 I. Union. 




VILLOUD'S 

\/10VING &i STORAGE 

I'inun MiiviiiK :iiul Hoistiiiy:. 

'310-12 Paterson Ave. 

West Hohokrii. 




CHAS. A. FISCHER 

GENERAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, 

FANS, MOTORS AND SUPPLIES. 

Lathe, Grinding, Machine Work of every discription. 

SWISS EMBROIDERY MACHINE, 

Repaired and Kept in Order. 

6i5a Spring Street, 

'Phone 148 I. Union. West Hoboken, N. J. 



The pastorate of this church has, since the resignation ol 
Dr. I'.i^^hert, been under ihc Rev. Charles A. Kvans. a «Tra(luatc 
of IVinccton Class of i88.|. \s pastor emeritus, however. Dr. 
F.q-hert continues to exercise a broad and wholesome influence 

i'.i the churcii. 



ST. JOllX'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 
P.'disade avenue and Charles street. 

The oro^anization of this church took place on June IQ. 
1846, when a number of j^ersons interested in the formation of a 
Protestant T^piscoJ)al Church in the villa.ti^e of West Hoboken, 
met at the residence of Mr. James DeLancey Walton, and, after 
oro-anization, extended a call to the Rev. A. C. Patterson, who 
thereby became its first minister. 

The peo])le of St. John's had, of course, no church buildin.c: 
at that time, but met every Sundav in the loft of a silk mill own- 
ed by Mr. Henry G. ^NlcRae, on Hague street. 

After considerable difficulty, enough money was raised to 
erect a church building, and the corner stone of the old church 
building on Clinton avenue, recently vacated, was laid by Bishop 
Doane on June 29. 1848. 

The population of the village at that time was so small and 
of such a transitory character that it was with difficulty that 
enough interest was maintained to keep the struggling little 
parish alive. As stated in another part of this story the only 
method of reaching the outside world was by means of stages, 
and the drivers of the stages used to rest their horses in the 
shade of the large trees in the church yard and tie them to the 
side of the old building. 

Some time ago, during repairs to the old building, a large 
screw-eve. which had been used for that purpose, was taken out 
of its side 

Progress was slow until about the time of the war, and the 
old records show that as late as 1865 the rector then in charge 
received for his services the princely sum of $200 a year. 

From that time on the parish gradually grew, keeping pace 
with the growth of the town, until it completely outgrew the 
accommodation of the old building, and it became necessary to 
build a more suitable ])lace of worship. 

The i^resent handsome stone building on Palisade avenue 
is one of the most complete buildings of its kind in the town. 
Tt will seat 500 people, and the hall below the church about as 
man\- more. 



Telephone 140 Union. 

GEO. B. BERGKAMP, 

REAL ESTATE BROKER, 

SUMMIT AVENUE & HIGH STREET, 

West Hoboken, N. J. 

Homes built to suit and Terms made to enable any 
homeseeker to own his own Home. 



Maker of the Celebrated VIENNA BREAD and ROLLS. 

C. V. KEIM. 

Wholesale and Retail 

Bpead, Cake, Pie 

Bakery and Confectionery, 

341 SPRING STREET and 508 MALONE STREET. 

West Hoboken, N.J. 

Fresh Bread Every Afternoon at 4 P, M. 



Connected with llie cluirch is an atliK-lic association, whose 
<H!arters arc in a building in the rear of the church. The g'vni- 
na<ium is e(ini])])ed with all the parai)hernalia of such an or.q-ani- 
zation, as well as club rooms of St. John's I'nion. 



ST. MICHAFX'S MOXASTlvRY. 

The first Catholic Church in North Hudson was located 
Avi'hin the present hinits of the To\vn of West Hoboken, and be- 
fore its establishment here the people of that faith either had to 
journey to lower jersey City or to Wnv York City, and many 
peoi)lc worshijiped in the old Catliolic Church in I'arclay street, 
in the latter city. 

In the latter part of the year 1840, Father Cauvin, a priest 
Avho then lived in Hoboken, used to journey u]) the IfilFide on 
Sunda}- morninfrs to celebrate mass for the scattered Catholics 
of \\'cst Hoboken. and the surroundincc villaijes. comino- even •'.s 
far as from CuttenberiLr and Hudson Coimty. 

The buildin*:^ used as a church at that time (and which was 
in realilv the first Catholic Cdmrch hereabouts") wa ^ the coach- 
house of Mr. James Kerrigan, on the old Homestead. 

The people worshipped in the coach-house tmtil th--' year 
1851. F.arlv in that year work was commenced on a frame 
church named "Our Lady of jNlercv," more familiarly known as 
(St. Clary's), on the corner of Clinton avenue, and wdiat was 
ther, known as Kerric^an's Lane, now HiL!h street. The land, 
half ;in acre in extent, was the i^ift of Mr. Kerri^'an. 

The parish was then in Xew ^"ork, the diocese of Xewarlc 
not having been formed until C)ctober. 1853, and in the latter 
part of the year 185T. Archbishop Hughes, of Xew York, dedi- 
cated the church. 

r)n the front of this old church, as old-timers will remem- 
ber, was a framed inscription, as follows: — 

"M'ATKR MISERICORDAF.- 
"Mother of Grace. O. ^lary hear." 

"Mother of Mercy, lend thine ear." 
"From raging foes our souls defend." 
"And take us when our life shall end." 

This church was presided oAcr for ten vears 1)\- Faithful 
Father Cauvin, and on Sunday, September 29. i860. Father.-. 
Ciaudentius and Anthony, of the Passionist Order, opened a mis- 
sion in St. Mary's Church. It was most successful, and soon 
after, the Rt. Rev. l)ishop James Roosevelt Bailey, first bishop 
of the Diocese of X'^ewark, invited the Passionists to establish 
themselves in his diocese. 



F. SCHNEIDER & SON, 

DEALJ^KS IN 

Hardware, Stoves and 

House Furnishing Goods, 

Window Shades, Oil Cloths, Paints and Sewer Pipe. 

DEMOREST SEWING MACHINE $19.50. 

80, 82, 84 and 86 BERGENLINE AVENUE, 

UNION HILL, NEW JERSEY. 

Telephone 149 Union. 



A. HOLTHAUSEN, 

DRY GOODS, 

ii3 & 415 BERGENLINE AVE., 

UNION HILL, N. J. 



Geo. V. Denzer, 



DEALER IN 



FURNITURE, CARPETS, 

MATTRESSES, WINDOW SHADES, ETC. 

85 and 87 Bergenline Avenue, 

UNION HILL, N. J. 



Tlir I'atliers accepted his invitation and scIccIcmI \\\>i llw- 
l)okfn. then hut a sparsely settled haink't as their lK-ad(|uarters, 
and on Ajjril 27, 1861, they formally took chars^e of St. Marx's 
Church, with \ ery Rev. heather John Domenic Taolatini as 
])astor. I'^atlier Cauvin turned the keys of the church over to 
the new pastcT and bade the ])eo])le of St. .Mar\*s farewell. He 
then retired to Hoboken to build a church in ilie latter citw 

In the same year iwent\- acres of land known as "Kerrigan's 
woods." was purchased as a site on which to build a Monastery. 
The site, at tliat time, was not considered a very healthy one on 
account of the swami)iness of the land. But the history of the 
Monks rejieated itself, for to-dav no finer spot could be found 
in North Hudson tiian the land surroundinj:^ the Monastery. 

The new .Mission of the Passionists being' es'iablished, \'ery 
i\ev. l'"ather N'ictor Carunchio was a]i])ointe(l Superior. 

The small house at the rear of .St. Mary's being found 
wholly inade(|uate, was moved back, ancl a very comfortal)le 
frame building was erected in its place. 

Such was the neucleus from which sprang St. .Michael's 
Monastery parish. 

Work was soon conunenced on the new Monastery; a 
building of blue stone, loi feet long by 36 feet in width. The 
corner stone was laid on August 9, 1863, and three sermons were 
i)reached on this occasion, one by Dr. M'cCJlynn, in English; 
l-":ither Cauvin, in P^rench, and Father Stanislaus, in (ierman. 

In the latter year St. Mary's school was erected on a i)lot of 
ground opposite St. Mary's church, also the gift of Mr. Kerri. 
gan. 

( )n .'~^e])tember 25. 1864. the Monastery was solemnly dedi- 
cated, and on the same day the little band of Passionists bade 
farewell to St. Mary's, just three years and five months after 
their advent in West Hoboken. 

In October a wing 65 feet long by 50 feet wide was a.lded 
to the Monastery, and on December 30 of the same year, the 
beautiful chapel erected in the new wing spoken of, was dedi- 
cated by Rt. Rev. Bernard J. McQuaid. then elect and Bishop 
of Rochester, New York. 

On Tune 29. 1867, P)lessed Paul of the Cross, the Founder 
of the Passionist Order, was Canonized bv Pope Pius the 9tl!. 
P'or this occasion a frame building, 150 feet long and 60 fcf^t 
wide, was erecterl where now stands the niagnificent stone struc- 
ture, St. Michael's Monastery Church. 

Tlic number who attended the services was legion. Tliere 
were present bishops and clergy from all parts of the States. 
T'.iis tempor.'irx- building was torn down, and in .\ovember, 1867, 



Telephone 234 B. 

NINE MILE HOUSE, 

HENRY J. KAUFMAN, Prop. 
LITTLE FERRY, N. J. 

Boating and Fishing. 

Bo\^^ling Alleys. 
Dancing Pavilion. 

Wheeling & Coaching Parties. 

Bergen Turnpike Trolleys Pass the Door. 

N. Y. S. &iVJ. R. R. and W, S. R, R. 

RICHARD J. LYNCH, 

House, Sign and 

Decorative Painter. 

PAPER HANGING. 

Residence: 509 SMITH STREET, 
WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. 



the first huge stone was rolled in place for the new church, and 
actual building on the church was conunenced in April. 186;. 
The corner stone was laid <in Sunday, July iS. iX(»). in the pres- 
ence of the largest nudtitude that ever assenil)led in Hudson 
Countv for a similar purpose, and on July 22. 1870. St. Mary's 
Church, amid the lamentations of its old parishioners, was closed 
forever lo divine services. 

On Irdy 4, 1S75. the superb cimrch of Si. Michael tlu- Arch- 
-ing>'l, was dedicated amid all the pomp and splendor possibl". 
At^liis time \'erv Rev. John IMiillip 15audinelli was rector. 

The dimensions of this magnificent church are as follows:— 
Extreme length. 195 feet; width of nave. 70 feet; width of tran- 
sept. 104 feet; height of main aisle, ys '^"^'t : height to top of 
dome, 190 feet; dianieter of dome. 50 feet; circumference of 
dome. IJO feet. 

The style is liasilican, 1)eing more on the CoriiUhian than 
Roman order. 

The architect was Mr. P. C. Keeley. chief stone mason and 
builder; ^Ir. James Day. carpenter; Messrs. George I'ove and 
Albert Dm-lieim. The bells in the southeast tower are each 
named after a Saint, as follows:— St. Michael. 3,040 ])ounds; St. 
Paul of the Cross, 1.500 pounds, and St. Josejih. 900 pounds. 
Tliev were blessed by IMonsignor (now Archbishop) Seton. 
I). D. 

The cost of this church at time of building was $25o.o:x), 
but nearlv $ioo.ooo has been spent on it in the way of impr )ve- 
ments and decorations since that time. 

The following churches have from time to time been estab- 
lished bv the Passionists:— St. Joseph's, (uittenberg. June 28, 
1866; Holv Family. I'nion Hill. November 13. 1867; St. Paul 
of the Cross. Hudson City, ( )ct<^ber 16. 1870; Church of Sacred 
Heart. Shadyside. 1874; St. Anthony. West Iloboken. August 
16. 1899. 

The old St. Marv's Church, after it ceased t(^ be a ]dace of 
worship, was used as a school exhibition hall. It was finally 
removed to make room for the new St. Michaers school, which 
latter building was dedicated November 8. 1896. 

This is a very handsome brick structure, consisting of three 
stories and basement. 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 

Clinton avenue and Serrell street. 

When the First Presbyterian Church was organized they 

nund^ered among their member^ a few persons who wordd 

have affiliated themselves with a P.aptist Church had there been 



IMPERIAL HALL, 

C. Saling, Mgr. 

CORNER SPRING AND SHIPPEN STREETS, 
WEST HOBOKEN, N. J. 

Elegant Ball and Concert Hall. 

Excursion Privileges Bought or Taken on Percentage, 

FINE LODGE ROOMS. 4 BOWLING ALLEYS. 



Established 1852. Telephone Connection. 

E. N. Little's Sons, 

THE BIG 

PAINTERS and 

SIGN MAKERS, 

PAPER HANGING, KALSOMINING, &c. 

Engraved Silver and Brass Signs 

217 WEST BROADWAY, 3 & 5 HUDSON ST., 

NeAw York. 
JOSEPH LAUFENBERG, 

PIANOS AND ORGANS 

Music, Musical Instrunnents and Merchandise. 

4i7 Spring Street, 
West Hoboken, N. J. 

Pianos Bought, Sold, Exchanged, Repaired and Tuned. 



one in the villat:.'. Aniniio- ilie.^e hn;>ti>ts was Mr. John Symf-. 
ami I'cti'r r.()i;an. ' hic Sunday afternoon Mr. John Syni.s nrf- 
])t)SO(l to Mr. I'ctir I'.o^art that il he woul I canvas the hih ai'.'l 
i^-cl the hajitists toj;i.th(.'r hv would huild a cluu-ch or u'eetini; 
house for thc!ii. 

Mr. l')0|L:^arl, a'tcr canvassin<:j the vicinity, found ten per.-ons 
who were rcadv to ludp f^r^^anizc a baptist church. 

'Idle ])eople, ani'ini; whom were the followini^, besides the 
two first mentioned i^UMitlenien. were: ^Ir. and Mrs. \'an Arsdale, 
'Mv. and ]\Irs. k)hn X'arrick. Mr. and Mrs. llumphrevs and Mr. 
and Mrs. Smithson. met in the sch(M)l house of ^lartin Ivyersor.. 
on Paterson and Clinton avenues, in the year i8-;4. and orcran- 
ized the present Rantist Church. A Sunday school wa^ al-o 
oro-ani/.ed. which, at tlr>t, consisted of six scholars, but which, i'.i 
tlirec vcars irum the date of its organization, had L,n-own to i^c\ 

Tlic cono;reg'ation subseciuently met in the same old silk 
factors on Hasriie street, in which the people of the Presbvterian 
arid St. John's Church.es had also met, and in the year 1855 Air. 
John Svms erected a house of worship for them on Clinton ave- 
nue, corner Demott street. This old buildinp: was recentlv 
moved around on Clinton avenue and was. until last year, used 
as a furniture store bv W'm. dulden. 

ddie succession of the nn'nistrv of this church is as tollows: — 
Tst, Rev. C. A. Ruckbee: 2nd, Rev. Al. James; 7rd. Rev. Mr. 
Leghorn: 4th, Rev. Mr. McGonegal; 5th. Rev. Mr. Cilts: 6tlK 
Rev. Mr. Frank Osborn: /th. Rev. Mr. Xelson; 8th. Rev. Frank 
Fletcher: 9th. R<'v. R. Rollins. 

Previous to the installation of the first regular pastor the 
church had ministers from the P>ible Society. Nassau street. 
Xew A'ork, at 5 o'clock p. m. every Sunday. 

The organization of the church took place through t^he 
kindness of the Presbyterians, in the basement of their church. 
Rev. Isaac Wescott. of Xew York. i)reachcd the sermon and 
Rev. AFr. Patton, of Hoboken, gave the charge. Air. John Svm^ 
and wife, the organizer-, were the first received in the church 
bv baptism. A larire stage was hired from the stage line and 
was iDacked full, inside and out, and journeved down to the house 
of AFr. Svm's rlaughter, in Pavonne. Xew Jersey, and there they 
were bantised in the waters of Xewark P)ay. 

Jn the early historv of this church Air. ddios. Jxevnton nlay- 
ed the melodian, and Mr. and ATrs. John Svms led the choir. 

The present stone church was erected in 1868. and was built 
from contributions, among the largest of whom was the Svms 
familv. The chapel adjoining was built and donated also bv 
Air. Svms at a cost of nearlv $20,000. 




207 CLINTON AVE 

0)C5TMODOKEN.N.J. 




GOEBEL'S 

Wholesale and Retail 

Confeetionepy 
lee Cream. 

Churches and Parties 

Supplied at Short Notice. 

Honne-Made Candies A 
Specialty. 

425 Spring St., 

West Hoboken, N. J. 



Joseph AA/itkin, 

507 Spring Street, 

Bet. Jane & Dodd Sts. West Hoboken, N. J. 

DrugS; Medicines, Chemicals, Fine Soaps, Perfunnery and 
Fancy Toilet Articles. 

Remember Witkin's Momentary Headache 

Cure Best in the World. 

Commissioner of Board of Health from 1903 to 1906. 

Witkin's Corn Cure, Toothache Drops 

and Witkin's Stomach Powders. 



FIRST RF.FORMKI) ClirRCII. 
J lackcns.'ick I'lankro;! 1. 

To write a sketch of ll.i.-; clu;rch il is i)erhai)S proper l(» say 
a lew witrd^ in rei^arJ.-^ the niolher elnirch, tlie (irovc Reformed 
Church, situated on the lIudMUi I'.oulevar 1. 'Jdie latter church 
was for a long- linie the regahir phice of w(;rshi]) of ah the mem- 
bers of that denomination who hve:l in our lown, an 1 in facl 
of those wlio li\-iNl in Xorlli ihuhron. 

Tlie old church was organized on Ajiril I2. 1S43. Us c^.rly 
history is itlentified with the Reforme 1 Dutch Church at Eng- 
lish neighborhood, of wdiich the people of Xew Durham were a 
component part, enjoying for several years the Sabbadi af:er- 
noon services of their past<M- in the building erected at >sew 
Durham, the lower part of which was devoted to the use of the 
district school. At the =e^sion of the classi^, on Seotemh^r 17. 
1839, the Rev. Mr. Duryee, in behalf of the Condstory of Eng- 
lish neighborhood, applied to the clasds for a recomnien lation 
of the Board of Missions for aid in su])])orling the gospel at Xew 
Durham. This was referred to the Consistory of Engdsh n^i'^h- 
borhood. and after due consideration they deci 1°:1 that "at pr'?s- 
ent" thev would nf)t advance the interests of the c!nirch. 

In a few- vears this course was reconsidered an 1 on Anril 
12, T843, Rev.'R. C. Taylor. A. H. Warner an! R. Wells, met, 
and a formal expression of desire for a new chur di organization 
was given to the petition to the comiuittce, signed bv thirty-nine 
heads of familities and fort\-tive conimunicants, accom'\anied b ■ 
a proper dismission of all the forty-five communicants from the 
church at the English neighborhood. 

The Consistorv of the last-named church had agreed to con- 
vey by deed, to the new church when organi;^e 1, the lecture room 
and lot at New- Durham. 

On the 17th of September, 1844, this church presented to 
the classis of I'ergen, for a])proval. a call u])on. the can:li late. 
Wm. J. R. Ta\lor. On its approval Mr. Tavlor announced hi^ 
acceptance, thereby becondng the first ndnistcr of this oM 
church. 

ddie connection between Mr. Tavlor and the church wa'; 
di-solved on September 8, 1846. Mr. Ta\lor having accented a 
call from the Reformed Dutch Churcli at \'an \'or.;t (\\'ayne 
street. Jersey City.) 

On September 15. 1846. the Rev. W. \'. \". Mabmi w'a^< in- 
stalled as pastor. 

The church continued to need a moderate amount of ai I 
from the Roard of Missions, but the plans of a liberal soul, de • 



ASMUS HANSEN, 

Manufacturer of FINE SEGARS, 
48^ .SPlilXCi HTKEET, WEST HOBOKEN. 



JOSEPH STEIN, 
Fine Shoes, Rubbers and Boots. 

(I05A SrillNU STKEET, WEST HOBOKEN. 



E. UFERT, 

STATIONERY, CONFECTIONS, 

CIGARS AND TOBACCO. 
513 SnaNU STIIEET. 

LOUIS KOHLER, 

Dealer in DELICTAESSEN &, CHOICE GROCERIES. 

105 SPUING STBEET. 

West Hoboken, New Jersey. 



a. kielberg. 

Restaurant, 

50!) HiaUFOIXT AVENUE, 



JOHN F. HUNER, 
PIANO MANUFACTURER, 

TUXINC; AND liEI'AlKINC. 
423 HILL STKEET. 



H. H. BARKLAGE. 

ICE DEALER. 

L'-_M I'AMSADE AVENl'E. 



vi.-ing' liberal lliinj^s for llii- cliurLli. were now ahoul to bo 
broni^'ht iiilo operation. 

lan-es I'.rown, I'.sii.. with most conmien.lable /eal an 1 liber- 
alitv. altluniiili himself an.l family members (jf a Xew \'ork I'rcs- 
bvterian Ciiurch, liad purchased a tract of about four acres of 
beautifulb.- located land on the western slope of the hill over- 
]ookin,2: the villai^o of Now Durham. Here he erected with 
some aid from a few ])er-()nal friends and about Si.ooo from the 
cong-regation (of which hdder .\bel 1. Smith cmiiribuied $700) 
the present church. 

ddie cc^st i){ this church at tluit tim.e wa- $6,coo. and l)e- 
sidos the church ])uilding aforesaid, Mr. iirown also erecte I the 
j-jarsonage at the rear of the church, and a school house, wdiich 
at that time was used for the education of girls, the teaching 
being ])aid for b\- Mr. Ilrown and th? Consistory of th" church, 
d^his school subse(|uentl\ became a ]~)ay .school for both ^''xes. 
and with the advent of the ])ublic school, its use was di'-^con- 
tinued. 

?ilr. Mabon continued his ])astorate undl if-,82. wli'^-i !v" re- 
signed, and the present pastor. l\ev. I. .\. (iowen, was installed 
in the year 1885. 

This old church has at various times established nd>sions 
in various town^ in Xorth Hudson, at present maintaining them 
in (duttenberg. West Xew 'S'ork and \\'e(>hawd<en. and it was in 
this nianner that our present Reformed Church was established. 
It is not known exactly on wdiat day this mission was estab- 
lishecl. l)ut it could not have been later than 1867, for in that year 
the present church building was erected on the land given for 
the purpose by Mr. Edwdn A. Stevens, of Hoboken, Xew Te^sey. 
At the solicitation of Mr. Jas. I'rown, who erected the building 
at a cost of $8,000. 

The preaching services and religious work of the chapel 
were in charge of the succession of pasters of the mother church 
for nearly thirty years. 

In 1805 the Rev. W. R. Ackert was crdled bv the Grove 
Church Consistory to take charge of the cha])el. ddiis actior. 
was made necessary on account of the marked growth of the 
chapel's congregation. Lender Mr. Ackert's ministry the chapel 
work was characterized by n^arked and growing succcrs. For 
manv years an evening service and Sunday schot)l were the only 
services held'. During th^ new pastorate all of the present ac- 
tive auxiliaries were organized and efficiently carried on. 

T'lCtween May, 1895, and A])ril. i(;oi, about one hundred and 
thirty members were received into the communion of the church 
at the chai)el. Ou June i, 1901, Rev. W. R. Ackert resigned 



E. SPINGARN, 

DRY AND FANCY GOODS, 

Headquarters for 

Mens and Childrens Outfittings, 
402-404 Spring Street, 

Near Stevens Street, West Hoboken^ N. J. 




Telephone Call 1555 F, Hoboken. 

Assembly Rooms 

JOHN HEFLICH, Prop. 

Wines, Liquors and Cigars. 

BiElard &, Pooi Tables. Spacious Hall 

for Balis Parties &.c 
Lodge Roonns to Let. Four Bowling Alleys. 

Cor. Summit & Paterson Aves., 

West Hoboken, N. J. 



i':o"..i li.c i,a-U.r:.'iC to a^cc])! a o;.ll from ilic C(.lk}::jialc Rcfornied 
L lu.i^h o. Xcw \'(irk Li.y, lo lake charj^o ni ihc \ (.Tiuilvc Cha])- 
(.1, anJ oil jijij J, ii,i'i, ilio \Uv. Ivhvard l'a;\-o;i, of the class 
ot ujoi oi' the Xcw r>runs\vick 'J'hcological Seminary, was called 
lo succeed k.im. and is tiio pastor nc,^v in charge. 

On A])ril 8, ii;o_', the church, as at present estahlislie 1. was 
organize 1. After due application to the classis of liergen, the 
chapel. (Ml tlie ahovc date, was c-rganized as an in lejA-iident 
church with a nienibcrship of two hun lie 1 an 1 three, to Ije 
l:in,wn as the h'ir.-t Ivcforuied Church of West Jltjboken. 

The following gentlemen constitute the Consistory: — 

Fddcrs.— .Michael C. AlcCroskery, Henry C. Steinhoff. Al- 
fred De Bevoisc. Merman C. .Steinhoff. 

Deacons.---! Ienr\- Reiners, Waller Llum, ThouK'n David- 
ron Louis A. lioehler. 

The church at present r.iaintains the following auxiliarv or- 
ganizations: — Two .Sunday schools, with an average attendance 
of about six hundred: Ladies' Aid Society. Christian Rndeavcjr 
Society, junior I'^nleavor Society, lirotherhood of Andrew and 
Phili]), and a I'oys' ] brotherhood. 



GKR^dAX HAITI ST CHCRCH. 
Cor.rtland Street. 

('n August II, 1867, a number of our (lerman si)eaking 
citizens met for the ])uri)()se of organizing a church where the 
services w'ould bo conducted in their language. Among the 
t^eople who organized tliis church were Mr. and ^Irs. C. F. 
llluir.enberg, ]\lr. and Mrs. C. Baiun, Mr. and Mrs. C. luaumann, 
Mr ,-Mi 1 Mrs. C. Henze, Mr. and ^Irs. 1). Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. 
I'h. Luther, Mr. and Airs. |. Luther, yiv. and Mrs. A. Murath, 
Mr C. Broker, Mrs. H. Fischer, Aliss A. Schw-artz; 19 in all. 

Tliis congregation's first house of worship was tlie okl 
church previously occu])ievl by the First liaptist Church congre- 
gation, corner Clinton aver.ue and Demott 'Street. .After meet- 
ing here for a number of years, the need of a larger and more 
up-to-date meeting house, on account of the fast growing con- 
grega^^ion. soon becanie apparent, and in the year 1876 the pres- 
ent churi^h building on Courtland street was erected. This 
builling also, became too small, anrl in i8i)r) it was enlarged to 
its present '^ize. 

Tlie fir.=-t and =ubsec|uent ministers of this church are given 
"^ follov.^s:— 1st, Rev. E. Austcrmuhl. 1868-69; 2nd, Rev. G. 
Knob'o^di, 1870-7^: .-r 1, R-v. J- AL Hoeffliu, ^^73-7^: 4th, Rev. 
C-. X\ Tho--i"on. T8ro-i88T; qih, the nre^etn pastor. Rev. L. An- 
schu'z, was in tailed in th^ vear 1882. 



YOU ARE INVITED 

To inspect our display of Men's, 
Boys' and Cliildpen's Ready-to- 
V/ear Clothing. 

You will not be Import- 
uned to buy— we are asking 
for a call only. 

We know you will like 
our goods and prices, and 
after a trial you will take 
pleasure in calling this store, 
yjur Clothing Store. 

If you prefer your Cloths 

MADE-TQ-GRDER 

we are the pioneer in that 
line, in North Hudson. 

We'll show you the finest 
fabrics in the world-as good 
or better than you've been 
getting at higher prices in 

SUITS, TROUSERINGS, 
OVERCOATS and UNI- 
FORMS. 

Remember, we keep all Clothing purchased here, whether 
ready made or made-to-order, Pressed and in Repair, Free. 

Every Garment Guaranteed. Your Money Back if not 
Saiisvactory. 

JOHN J. PHELAN, 

CLOTHIER & TAILOR, 
303 Bergenline Avenue, 

Corner Fulton Street. Union Hill, N. J. 

Sole Distributors for ALFRED BENJAMIN &, CO. 
Correct Clothes for 




len. 



Tho present iiieuih.'r-Iiii) of the church, cniisistiiii; of iin- 
inersol hehevers on juihlic confession of faith, i-; 175. '1 lie Snn- 
day school has an cnrolhiKiU of 250. The foMowins.': s.,cit\:e.- 
are connecletl with tho chnrch: — a Woman's MisMonary Circle, 
with a nuiiil)ershi]) of 50: a Yoimj:: lVo])les' Society, with a 
nieniher^hip of 4<); a Kiny^'s Dans^hters Circle, consi^tii^.p^ of iS 
inenihcrs. An Industrial School, with an enrollment of uo, is 
al-o connected with the church. 



in 



ST. ^:A'^ iii-.w'S ll'tiikran ciiriu'ii. 

lliLdipoint aveinie and Clinton avenue. 

This church ori.crinally hclonoed to the Town of Union, !iav- 
...i^ been or.ijanized in the year 1884. Its first house of wirship 
was on New York avenue and jetTcrson street, that town. In 
the year 1889, the present huildins^ was erected and tlie congre- 
g-ation became one i)f our nuist pros])erous churclie -. The first 
l)astor of this church was the Rev. E. llohm, who serve 1 until 
the vear 1890. then the Rev. H. Heintz took chari^e until 1894. 
when the third and present pastor, Kev. A. Gurschke, was in- 
stalled. 



GERMAiN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CIICRCH. 

Clinton avenue and Oak street. 

Idle above named church was organized as a mission 
in the fall of 1886 by the Rev. Chas. Reu'-s. at that time pastor of 
the German Methodist Episcopal Church, of Hobokcn, New 
Jersey, and a few ])ersons who met in the home of Mr. (j. l>ar- 
fus. 

Idle meetings were conducted here until the following 
sjiring, when the Rev. A. C. Gabclein was appointed as pastor. 
Soon after his installation the congregation secured the privi- 
lege of meeting in the old Methodist Church building on S])ring 
street, opposite Walnut street. After a short time this old 
building was sold and the congregation was compelled to seek 
new quarters. They hired a store on Spring street, where they 
remained until January. t8()i, when they moved into their pres- 
ent cosy church building. In 1892, Rev. II. Meyer was apnoin- 
ted pastor. He served until i8<)3, when he was succeeded by 
the Rev. I. Picringe. 

From this time on the church continued to grow consid- 
erably, until, in the year 1894, it was organized into an independ- 
ent church under the corporate name of the German Methodist 
Episcopal Church of West Iloboken. The same year the par- 



'^onai^c in \\w rear d" ihc cliuroh was L;ivrn l.y Mr^. Mary Sch- 
neider. In iS*,6. Kcv. 1). II. Tape was apix.inted paslor. and 
under his able achrinistration tlie huihhni;- was enlar^^ed U) Us 
present size, bv raisin^- it and l)uildins a Sunday school under- 
neath it. The Rev. i*ape continued as pastor until the year 
1899, when the Rev. K. W. Peglow, the present pastor, took 
charge. 



ST. lOSEPirS CATHOLIC ClU RCH. ' 

St. lo^^eph's Cernian Ivonian Catholic i)arish was estah- 
lishr 1 thVouo-h the efforts of the Rev. j. N. (Irieff, of the Holy 
Fanulv Church in ITnion Hill, tlu- corner stone of what is now 
St. Joseph's school, was laid on July 31, 1887, by Bishop VVi^- 
fjer.' of Newark, and upon its completion was used for church 
and school purposes combined. 

The parish jjrew so rapidly that after a ])eriod of twelve 
years it was found necessary to build a lar,«;er church, and ste])s 
w^ere immediately taken to that end. 

In the fall of 1898 the corner stone of the present hand- 
some church was laid, and it was com])letcd and dedicated in 
July. 1899. I'li^^ present pastor is the Rev. Louis Gabriel. 



ST. ANTHONY'S ITALIAN R. C. CHURCH. 

Owing to the rai)id increase of the Italian population of 
West ILiboken the Passionist h'athers of St. Michael's Monas- 
tery (wh ..se church they attended), decided to oragnize them in 
a separate parish, and in May, 1899, the corner stone of St. 
Anthonv's Church, on Morris street, was laid, and on August 
16, 1899. the church was dedicated. The present pastor of the 
church is the Rev. leather Andrew Kenney, C. P. 



PALISADE AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
Palisade avenue and Oak street. 

I'he above church was started as a mission in the year 1894, 
being fostered bv the Rev. Arney S. P.iddle, D. D., of Jersey 
City', assisted by the New York Presbytery. Among those who 
helped in its organization were the families of David Thorn and 
Robert Clemens, which families still remain in loyal connection 
with the church. 

The first meeting i)lace of this congregation was the upper 
floor of the Rejiorter building on Clinton avenue. After meet- 



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mi; lure fur a linio a store was hirc'd on Sprins^f street, near 
Alaloiie street. Tin civil (iri^anization n\ the congregation was 
effecte^l in May, i8(j6, wlien its charter was (jbtained and the 
ecclesiastical organization was accomplished January y, i8y8, by 
tb.e election to the office ol' riding elders of Messrs. J. N. ])e- 
marest, Alex. lirowii. Henry Mcll\ra\ and James MchafYey. 

In the year i8i}7 the congregation moved into its ])resciit 
chnrch edilice, and during its existence has had two ministerc, 
the first being the Rev. A. K. Duff and the second and ])resent 
imni !er being the Ivev. 1\. II. Achcson. 





OCT 6- 1949 



McGann & Gallery. 

COAL 
DEALERS. 



Best Lehigh & Scranton 
and Finest Quality or" 
Steam and Blacksniith 
COAL. 

DELIVERED AT THE 

LOWEST PRICES. 

WE ARE AN 

ANTI-TRUST FIRM. 

OFEiCE: 

49th Street and Park Avenue, 

WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY. 

Telephone 89 Hcbcko.^ 



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